Unsettling Affairs
by xKesshoux
Summary: The Seven Abominations Unto the Lord have been unleashed. Led by the cat chimera Deceit, their goal is unknown to even their partners, the Sins. How can the military defeat what is created to be the perfect weapon? AE, edit complete. Multiple ratings, R
1. Smoke and Tinder

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Smoke and Tinder

* * *

Rating:** PG(13? For one kiss...cursing...etc..?)  
**Pairings:** Implied and impulsive RoyxEd.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA. Alphonse and Roy were written by two of my friends, plot written by me. It's like a collaboration fic.  
**Spoilers:** If you squint I suppose end of series spoilers, but I've completely rewritten half of it so yeah. It's mostly just me.  
**Setting:** Roy's office at Central HQ.  
**Timeline:** About a week after the end of the anime, and no, things aren't exactly canon.

* * *

Roy Mustang was _not_ asleep at his desk. 

Bored, perhaps. Dozing, quite possibly. Asleep? No. Being asleep at one's desk would be a lapse in duty, now wouldn't it?

So no, Roy Mustang was _not_ asleep at his desk, even though his face was becoming very well aquainted with its polished wooden surface.

Outside, there was a really...rather...really very loud pounding of boots along a hardwood floor, followed by a scream that increased in volume before decreasing, followed by a second scream in a similar manner, a crash, silence.

Footfalls that were far too dramaticized approached Roy's door, and within the next second, Edward had barged in without so much as knocking, paying heed to the fact that this was his _superior officer_, or, that his intrusion was annoying for that matter. Smug grin in place, the blond alchemist dragged another boy behind him, with a lighter mop of blond and a dumbfounded expression on his face. "I QUIT!"

Roy Mustang, beleaguered champion of miniskirts, wiped the drool off his face with one sleeve and tried to get his eyes to focus on the elder Elric's face.

"...Edward. What a nice surprise. Sit down, why don't you. Have some tea."

"No tea, stupid Colonel! I.QUIT.NOW." Ed slammed the silver watch down on Roy's desk, still maintaining that arrogant, cocky, self-assuring, oh-I'm-plotting-something smug grin of his.

The raven haired man paused, considering, expression mildly deceptive. "Uuuuuuuuuh-huh. Might I ask why?"

The blond's pasted on grin faltered for a second as he opened his mouth to make a witty retort and found none lingering on the tip of his tongue, to which he snapped his mouth shut again and glowered. "Why should I have to have a reason! It's MY JOB I can QUIT if I WANT to!" That was childish, Ed. Very childish.

Another, rather more pregnant pause. "Uuuuuuuuuuuuuh-huh." Roy smirked.

After getting dragged through the door of the office, Al turned his head to look at Ed. The older boy looked happy, but Al was unsure why. Looking to Roy, Al blinked, not recognizing him at all, but having faith that his older brother knew what he was doing.

Oh GOD not The Smirk! Edward could feel the tension building from the bottoms of his feet to the tip of his antennae, and was sure his face must be red by now. But Al wasn't holding him back...Al? Ed blinked, all possible seriousness or anger fading away to wonder and loss. "Al?"

Roy waved a hand at Edward, trying to catch his attention. "Hello? Elric? Your superior asked you a question."

Al blinked, looking at Ed. He tilted his head a bit and gave his brother a puzzled look before looking at Roy. The black haired man looked pretty dull over there only saying the same thing over and over again, and Al looked back at Ed, blinking. "...What exactly are you quitting, brother?"

Ed was slammed back to reality as Al's words came back to hit him full on in the face. He stared for a second, jaw agape, as though he had been dealt the worst insult from the least likely of people. "N...nothing, Al...nothing..." Ed didn't even look up after his head tilted to the floor, and he shuffled away from Roy's desk, pulling the silver watch by the chain with him. It dragged on the floor, but he didn't take notice, as he sighed, flopping down on the couch.

"...Elric? Edward? Hello? Question. It needs answering." A quirked eyebrow conveyed his mild annoyance effectively... Roy felt too lazy today to do anything but conserve energy.

"I'm not quitting..." Defeated, dejected, depressed. Some other 'de' words.

Al ran after Ed, tripping on his coat as he went. For some reason he felt like he hadn't been used to a body like this for quite some time, though he couldn't quite figure out why...after all, he always had this body, didn't he? Alphonse then sat next to Edward, giving him a worried look. "..You ok brother?"

"Then why the..." Roy made a vague gesture. A number of words presented themselves to him in rapid succession only to be discarded one after another. "...display?"

Ed huffed slightly, and turned to curl up on the couch next to Al, leaning against the younger boy for support and at the same time in a supporting manner. "It's alright, Al..."

Roy twitched irritably. "Elric. The question. Stop avoiding it."

"Why the hell does that question even matter anymore, I already told you I wasn't quitting..." The blond alchemist sighed to himself, ruffling Al's hair, seemed the boy had fallen asleep...poor kid... "And do you mind...I'm not the only Elric in here you know..."

"You're concious," Roy pointed out. "Your brother is not."

"And it matters, _Elric_, because I say it does. Answer the question."

"The answer's right in front of your arrogant, miniskirt-obsessed face, _Colonel_..." Ed was seriously starting to reconsider the quitting idea.

"Answer the question or I'll have you court-martialed for insubordination," Roy snapped.

Today was not a good day to get on Colonel Roy Mustang's bad side.

"You wouldn't be able to if I _quit_ would you?" Golden eyes pointedly averted his superior's gaze.

"Then either resign, _now_, or answer the damn question," Roy gritted out. A headache was beginning to form just behind his eyes.

Al yawned, opening his eyes a bit to look around the room before falling back into Ed's arms, asleep. He must have been rather tired.

"If I were me, which I am, I'd have to say that you're almost _trying_ to make me snappy, _Colonel..._" He hadn't meant for it to come out that way, but Ed numbly registered somewhere in his deft mind that the words sounded almost teasing, like a purr...and to say that that didn't get him jumping out of his skin, was saying a lot. Edward was dead tired, and god knows he needed the sleep. Dull amber eyes vaguely caught a glimpse of military blue and raven black before closing to surrender to dreams.

The Colonol put a hand on his phone. "_Now_, Elric," Roy said, deadly serious. "I am not playing games. You are defying my authority."

But Ed didn't even stir, mind already gone into a dreamy oblivion, as he curled slightly, blond braid falling over his shoulder and onto Al's, his head resting on top of the boy's. Edward was peaceful. For once he didn't have so many burdens riding on his back. At least in sleep he could be free.

The older man stood there for a minute, watching the sleeping brothers, feeling more off-balance every passing second. Fury was slowly giving way to--something... softer. Roy swayed slightly, then abruptly sat.

Shortly thereafter, Ed was slumped a bit more heavily against Al's smaller frame (HAH! TAKE THAT!), and ended up causing the both of them to tilt, falling over, but not waking either up.

Edward shifted slightly and clung to the silver watch he still had in his hands, mumbling something in his sleep.

_"Heey...Al...do you...think that...Roy hates me..."_

Startled, Roy glanced up. Ed's face had that luminous quality that everyone's gains in sleep--serene. His hair cast over his face in a bright fall, scarlet coat half-open, he was the brightest thing in the office. Al's face was turned away from Roy, expression hidden, but Edward faced him.

Brows furrowed suddenly as muscles tensed, if Ed's eyes were open they would simply add to the look of terror and helplessness on his face. He reached out blindly for something that wasn't there, whimpering.

Roy buried his face in his folded arms.

Isn't it funny what things hurt us and what things leave us untouched? Like a flood that can't quite reach the highest part of the land. Like a tornado demolishing an entire town except for just one house.

_"Hey...don't...leave me...don't...don't go...Flame..."_

There was a glistening drop that ran down Ed's cheek from his visible closed eye, hands clutching at empty air more and more frantically.

Roy flinched. Silent minutes passed.

He sat, tensely, almost afraid to look up. Afraid to see again that glowing boy.

_"Colonel..."_

The sleeping boy slowly relaxed once more, one arm hanging off the couch and idly pawing at the carpet that he couldn't quite reach. _"Al...no...I can't tell him...he'd laugh...and I'd cry..."_

Roy blinked. He was kneeling in front of Edward, looking into his sleeping face, but he couldn't remember moving... Was this what insanity felt like? This sensation of falling, of there being no solid, dependable ground in the world?

The braided blond alchemist's nose wrinkled slightly as the smell of smoke and tinder passed by.

_Heey...Al...do you think...Roy hates me... _

"I can't...it...would hurt too much..."

Ed's brow creased again, but this time it was more obviously pain and sorrow that laced his sleeping features, as another tear followed the path of the first, a sad smile barely lifting the corners of his lips.

Pale, gloveless fingers hovered over Edward's lips, the urge to wipe the tears away nearly unrefusable.

Roy swallowed and lowered his hand. He needed a drink.

Ed's eyelids fluttered open just slightly, weary gold registering blue and raven black in a blur...but so close...

Still clouded by the haze of dreamland, Edward turned slightly, one gloved hand reaching out to brush against Roy's cheek, moving a few strands of black hair before trailing down again, and his eyes followed, to rest momentarily with the lightest touch upon his lower lip.

The boy's lips curled into a tired, but genuine smile, everything felt so distant and fuzzy...still a dream..._"Just a dream...huh...can't be real...but...I don't care...please...kiss me again, Roy..."_

The military man froze.

And for the first time in many years, Roy found himself obeying an order for something other than means to an end. For something other than a leverage for power. For something... that perhaps he wanted for different reasons.

He leaned in and touched his lips, feather-light, to Edward's.

By the time it was over, Ed was sleeping soundly again, blissfully oblivious to everything but his own dreams.

Roy raised a shaking hand to his lips.

What was happening?

What was happening to him?

Looking down at the two boys sleeping on his bland couch in the middle of his properly anonymous office in a typical authoritarian military building, Roy Mustang felt the urge to run. To run anywhere, as fast as he could, shedding his stiff uniform, shedding his identity, his name. He felt the urge to leave, to become someone else, anyone else.

Instead, he only stood, waiting for his shaking hands to still.

The red-clad blond cringed as light filtered past his eyelids and his brain shoved him back into an unwilling state of awareness. One hand moved up to shield his eyes from the bright overhead lights, as golden orbs opened regretfully, and most definitely grudgingly.

Edward sat up and stretched, yawning, rubbing his eyes and turning his head to look groggily at Roy.

"What the hell're you doin' in ma...oh...right...not my room...gimme some coffee..."

"You can get your own, Fullmetal Alchemist," Roy snapped. "And I suggest you remove yourself and your unfortunate brother from my office."

Good. That was good. No quaver.

That woke the boy up...

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT ABOUT AL YOU STUPID COLONEL!"

Ed was fuming.

"How dare _you_ storm into my office, then pass out on my furniture?" Roy shot back, brow quirked.

In the blink of an eye, the enfuriated Edward Elric had lept from the couch, landing a hard blow (with his automail fist no less) to the jaw of a particular Roy Mustang.

"You INSENSITIVE...LECHEROUS...(Sexy...).. .MORON!"

_What the hell was that??_

"You've got no right to insult somebody who actually WORKS HARD for what he believes in!"

Ed didn't even realize the hot tears streaming down his face as he glared at his superior, hefting Al onto his back with the younger boy's arms around his neck and legs supported by Ed's hands. It was almost cute how Al clung automatically like that.

Turning his back to Roy and walking to the door of the office, a bit slowly due to the burden of his brother's weight...damn the kid was growing way too fast...grr...Edward kicked open the door and didn't even look back. "We're going to Dublith...goodbye..._sir_."

And with that, he walked out.

The man addressed stared for a moment at the empty door, realized that one hand was still raised to his gaping hurtinglikeamotherbitch mouth. Lowered the hand.

"Memo to self," Roy murmured, licking his now-split lips. "Have that insubordinate son of a bitch put in solitary confinement for assault on a higher-ranking officer."

He wiped the back of his hand over his jaw, moving into the hallway. "Hawkeye?"

The sounds of his footsteps faded, leaving the office silent.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	2. Out of the Freezer, Into the Fire

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Out of the Freezer, Into the Fire** **

* * *

**

**Rating:** PG13  
**Pairings:** None.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA. Havoc and Izumi written by a good friend of mine, Al written by another.  
**Spoilers:** If you don't know about Ed and Al's sensei, this is spoiler material.  
**Setting:** Dublith.  
**Timeline:** About a week after the end of the series, and no, things aren't exactly canon.

* * *

A nervous mop of golden blond poked up above a bush, just barely mind you, gold eyes searching the streets for any sign of white and black in the form of a certain formidable someone...

A little 10 year old blond walked behind Ed and tugged on his red sleeve. He was very confused and didn't remember very much, other than their childhood together and a couple of other things. "..Hey, Edward..."

The blond in question practically jumped out of his skin at the voice, and the tug, gloved hand immediately covering Al's mouth. "Ayaaa! I don't care if she was going to help last time with your memory it's giving me the chills just being here! Come on, Al! We're going back to Central!"

And with that, the elder Elric grabbed All by the wrist and dragged him at full speed towards the city limits.

It was there that Ed decided that anything was better than going back to Central at the moment, or ever really. Thusly, he forced himself to stick it out, leaving Al with directions back to Central and information on what to do when he got there, as well as the single issued order: To run like hell and get as far away from this town as possible.

Ed didn't want Al to be traumatized so soon after his restoration, what with amnesia and everything else on top of it. It was better this way.

-----

There was a rustling of bushes, as a blond antennae popped up above the leaves. Very inconspicuous, Ed. Your extra height has given you away...who ever thought anybody would think THAT would happen?

A certain formidable Alchemy sensei spotted the blond-haired, amber eyed State Alchemist. And she was none too happy about his hasty retreat from Dublith.

"EDWARD ELRIC!!"

Said blond haired State Alchemist froze, turning white as a sheet and slowly turning around and backing out of the bushes, only to trip over a twig and fall straight on his ass, not managing to get far as he backed right into a wall.

Izumi loomed over the scapegrace Ed, her eyes glowing in that scary daemonic, evil and slightly scary way that she was so good at.

"Edward..."

"T-t-t-t-teacher I-I-I-I-I w-wasn't e-e-expecting to s-s-see you so-so-so-soon!" Edward stammered, trying in vain to scoot back even further under that gaze that he knew all too well meant he was in for a severe beating.

Izumi brought her foot lightly down on her ex-student's stomach, applying just enough pressure to keep him in place. "YOU." She continued to loom, though her hand seemed to be readying some horrible impliment of pain and punishment.

Ed whimpered, frozen stiff. Maybe if he didn't move she would think he was dead and leave him alone!

"Your opossum tactics won't work on me, kiddo. You're still breathing." The self-proclaimed housewife began to bring her paper fan down with punishing force.

"Hey look, Al's trying to sneak away!" Ed pointed in the opposite direction in hopes of crying wolf and it actually working. Well, in hopes of getting her to look away for just a fraction of a second so he could run like hell.

Izumi tapped the blond lightly on the head. "Edward, I know every single trick in the book. Trust me, I used them on my own teacher. Al will get what's coming to him. Right now, I'm thinking of dragging your tater-tot butt home so you can do the dishes."

"D-dishes?!" Ed really shouldn't have been surprised at all, really, he'd come to believe that Izumi actually got a kick out of scaring the piss out of him...no wait, he'd confirmed that a long time ago. "Surelet'sgoleadthewayI'mrightthere!"

Ed's former teacher dragged him upright, tugging him to her home. "You know, Edward, fear is good. It means you're paying attention. Don't drag your feet, kiddo. Put one foot in front of the other. It's not that difficult."

Edward picked up his feet in compliance, that was after all the best way not to get pounded into the dirt, and nodded dumbly. "Eheheh...right right, not hard at all!"

Izumi turned around and gave Ed a Look. "Are you even listening to me? You're staring at me vacantly." She gave his arm a little shake.

Ed gulped and focused his eyes. "Yeah of course I am!" _Man I rreeaaally need to get out of here why the hell did I come here Al please save me!_

Keeping her iron-tight grip on her former student's arm, Izumi looked around curiously. "Where on Earth has your brother gotten to? I could have sworn he was hanging around your bush."

_I hope he got away I hope he got away..._ "I...don't know...I swore he was right behind me and then the next thing I knew he was gone!"

"Oddly enough, I think I believe you. Come on, there's a whole mountain of unwashed chili dishes for you."

Ed groaned slightly, feeling almost like he was at the losing end of a bet with the Colonel again...oh wait...then he'd be wearing a pink frilly apron and a French maid's outfit...this was better...definitely better...

Izumi quirked an eyebrow at the groan. She didn't ask, but she had a distinct, niggling feeling that the groan was somehow connected to unknown events in Central.

"If you finish the dishes _without_ alchemy and under half an hour, I have a treat for you."

Ed blinked, caught the entire sentence, rationalized the meaning and possible outcomes, and sweatdropped slightly. "What...kind of...treat...?" He asked tentatively.

_Pleasesayit'snottrainingpleasesayit'snot training..._

Izumi grinned, half happily, half maniacally. "That's a secret, tater-tot!"

_Notgoodnotgoodnotgood..._

Ed fumed visibly but kept his words to himself, with extreme reserve, it wasn't easy.

Al peered over the top of the bush he'd been hiding behind this whole time, seeing Ed and Izumi. He quickly looked back down and gulped. He didn't want to leave Ed alone, but he was worried what Izumi would do for him not showing himself from the beginning.

Izumi heard a tiny rustle from a bush back behind her. Tightening her grip on Ed's arm, she roared:

"ALPHONSE ELRIC, GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE. NOW!!"

Ed winced at the sound of Izumi's voice, and the thought of what would happen to Al now...

_ItoldyoutorunItoldyoutorun!_

Al gulped, then ran to Ed, looking up at Izumi with eyes full of fear. "Y-Y-Yes T-T-Teacher?"

"You are in a boatload of trouble, boyo. Expect to be mucking out the shop tomorrow. We haven't cleaned for a few weeks." Izumi grabbed Al's arm in another iron grasp and dragged both boys away.

"Al...you could have gotten away!" Ed hissed through his teeth at his younger brother as he was dragged along behind their dreaded sensei.

Al looked at Ed, then at the ground, sighing. "..I'm sorry brother...I couldn't let you clean alone.."

"Alphonse, you are aware that you're currently in more trouble than your brother?"

The younger boy blinked, suddenly trying to get free as he waved his arms in the air. "..What?!.." Al looked at Ed with a worried look. "..Any ideas?"

"Um...he's just ten though, Sensei! Al didn't know any better I told him to run! He's not a suit of armor anymore you can't throw him around as hard you'll hurt him!" Ed blurted out before he could even think about what he had just said. Given time to think about it, he realized he really shouldn't have said that.

_Ohshitohshitohshit..._

Al looked at Ed, understandably confused about the 'suit of armor' comment. "..What suit of armor brother?" The confused boy then looked from Izumi to Ed, and back again, several times. "..Is there something I don't know that you're hiding?"

Finally, Izumi snapped. "BOTH OF YOU ARE IN FOR A BEATING!" she roared, throwing the two boys in front of her. The hormonally imbalanced teacher loomed threateningly. "Has the thought ever crossed your _puny_ little minds that if you just paid attention to what I say and do what I tell you that you'd have a LOT less pain?!"

"EYAAHH!" Ed squealed in a rather undignified manner, clawing his way over Al to try and scramble for it.

Al gulped, then pulled out some chalk and put it in Ed's hand. "..Use it! Hurry!" He then looked at Izumi with fearful eyes.

And it was then that Edward Elric was rendered utterly useless. This entailed being too completely and entirely stunned, shocked, amazed, and horrified all at the same time.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Izumi clapped, putting her hands to the dirt road. A huge stone cage grew up around the brothers. "You little scapegrace brats! If ANYONE does alchemy, you'll both be cleaning out the latrines and the offal catches in the shop!"

_Not to mention she'll painfully and thoroughly kick your asses..._

Al sighed and did the only thing he could do.

He pulled out a cup and hit the bars with it, making a rattling noise. "..Lemme out please.."

Ed just lay there, swirly eyes and all, completely out of it. At least he wouldn't feel the pain just yet this way.

Izumi smiled, half exasperated and half fond of the little twerp out cold on the ground. Grabbing Ed by the front of his shirt, she slung him up over her shoulder. "Let's get you some ice, kiddo."

Ed faintly registered being slung over Izumi's shoulder and one arm instinctively pointed in the opposite direction. "Al.."

"He'll be following along presently," the now much calmer housewife said briskly. "He's not half-dead like you are. What on earth was going through your brain, Edward? You could have dropped by, said hi, eaten something and gone on your way. Instead you were skulking around like a thief, just begging to be punished. Have you forgotten your manners?"

During her monologue-cum-lecture, they had gotten closer to her humble abode. "The boys are out for the week, so we should have relative peace and quiet. Now, you have some explaining to do."

Apparently, she had forgotten to put Ed down.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 

This was a humor chapter, brought to you by the antics of Edward and Alphonse in the presence of one Izumi Curtis.


	3. One Particularly Enlightening Train Ride

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**One Particularly Enlightening Train Ride

* * *

**

**Rating: **PG13-R (AKA sorry guys, no actual sex scene, but there is the leading up to and the after!)  
******Pairings:** HavocxEd  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA.Havoc andIzumi were written bymy friend,plot written by me. It's like a collaboration fic.  
**Spoilers:** None really, just semi-smut.**  
Setting:** Dublith and the train from Dublith to Central.**  
Timeline:** About a week after Al is restored.

* * *

A weary blond collapsed on the kitchen floor of a certain Izumi Curtis. 

How was it possible for one woman to have SO MANY DISHES! And USE them all!

Ed was exhausted. WHY had he decided to come here? WHY did he have to come here? He REALLY hoped that idiot Roy would send somebody to fetch him home soon...

Izumi was out with Al somewhere, Ed noted, thankfully. And were it not for the fact that Izumi would no doubt catch him if he ran, Edward would've high-tailed it out of there without looking back.

Dull amber eyes gazed around at the kitchen...spotless..._finally..._

"Ugh..." Ed wasn't even coherent after all that.

Havoc walked through the streets, his eyes searching for the familar stomping of boot-clad feet, a blond braid, a somewhat funny looking antennae ... But nothing.

He sighed heavily and rummaged his pockets for a cigarette.

_The Colonel will kill me if I don't find him ... Or, what's even worse, treat me like his _pet_ again._

Havoc shuddered at the thought.

When, suddenly, he spotted a quite familiar looking house, he quickly walked over to the door, discovering that, indeed, the sign right next to the heavy wooden door read "Curtis." Relieved that he had finally found what he had been looking for, he knocked at the door, shouting.

"Fullmetal? It's me, I'll bring you back to Central!"

Edward vaguely registered the sound of a familiar voice aside from his teacher's and Al's...but it took a minute for him to fully register what the voice had said.

The braided boy jumped up off of the kitchen floor with a newfound energy that hadn't been there a second before and sped to the door, flinging it open and practically tackling the man outside, well, more like he _did_ tackle the man...

What could he say? He was SAVED!

"Ow!" Surprised by the sudden attack, Havoc stumbled backwards and barely managed to keep himself from falling. It took him a few seconds to finally note that the small blond bundle clutching his back was Edward Elric.

Havoc blinked a few times.

"Glad to see me, huh?" Havoc asked, in a somewhat awkward tone. Surely people were already giving them odd looks. A teenager tackling a uniformed man of the military was surely something you didn't see every day.

After a moment of pure relief, Ed realized their current situation.

One extremely embarassed and apologetic blond leaped back as though repelled by an opposite magnetic force, back to the Lieutenant as he nervously rubbed the back of his head, trying to get his nerves to calm down.

"Aah...sorry, sorry-heheh! I wasn't thinking and just acted out completely! Pardon my complete lack of anything remotely resembling respect!" And so Ed rambled.

"It's alright," Havoc grinned and lit his cigarette.

He took a drag and was calm again in an instant. God save his daily dose of nicotine.

Around his cigarette, the older man grinned, "So, we better get going soon. The train back to Central will leave in about 10 minutes already."

Ed paused with a slight jerk in his movements from the sudden stopping. "Aaah! So soon!? Shit!!"

The blond alchemist spun around and grabbed the Lieutenant's jacket. "Why didn't you _say_ something _before!!!_"

With that, Edward turned around and rushed back into the house, a trail of apologies following him as he hurriedly gathered his things.

"So sorry, do come in, have a seat I'll be done in a minute!"

Havoc stepped into the house carefully. The Elrics' teacher was a kind of scary person whom Havoc would rather not stumble across right now.

He noticed how clean the house was ... It also smelled pleasantly. It had probably been cleaned only a short while ago ...

"Hey, Fullmetal! You did a great job cleaning the house!" he called cheerfully. Ed had probably been forced to clean up by Izumi. Havoc snickered at the mental image that thought gave him.

There was the sound of something crashing in the other room, a muffled curse, and the irritated noises that came from Ed trying to close his overstuffed suitcase.

Suitcase closed, the blond dragged it out of his room. Or rather, he dragged it about as far as it would go, then was jerked back as it decided to get firmly lodged in the doorframe.

Ed growled and proceeded to tug as hard as he could, bracing his boot-clad feet against the doorframe.

Needless to say, the suitcase wouldn't budge. At least it didn't at first. Until it decided that it had sufficiently exhausted Ed to the point of wanting to shoot it, at which point in time the suitcase suddenly dislodged itself.

Needless to say, Ed had still been tugging overly hard on the piece of luggage, and the strength he had been putting into getting it loose was now transformed into momentum that sent him flying backwards.

Crashing.Right.Into.Havoc.

Havoc didn't even have the time to blink, as he was suddenly knocked over by Edward, who was crashing hard into him. The impact on the hard wooden floor knocked the air out of his lungs completely

A sharp pain spread from his back to his ripcage, where Ed was lying heavily.

Neither of them was able to move, Havoc from pain and Edward from shock. It was dead silent, except for the second lieutenant's rasping intakes of breath. Eventually, the pain started to fade and Havoc choked out a few words, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Ed ... Get off ..."

The bewildered boy in question slowly rolled off to the side, groaning a bit woozily and muttering curses under his breath.

Edward sat there for a while, flopped back and propped up by his hands, trying to get his eyes to stop swirling.

"Aaagh...can somebody stop the room I'd like to get off..."

When Havoc regained his breath, he sat up. He felt something like vertigo spiking through him, but braced himself and faught it off.

"Uhhhh ..." he groaned, "seems like we can forget about our train ..."

Ed snapped back to reality and was frozen stiff for a split second.

"WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO TRAIN!"

The braided alchemist tackled the unsuspecting military officer once more into a prone position. "YOU HAVE TO GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

"Huh?"

Brilliant answer, Havoc. Just brilliant.

Ed whined and crawled over to his suitcase, beating on it as though that would make time go back so he could fucking LEAVE this place.

"When...is the next train...to Central..."

Havoc sat up again, picking bits of ash from his uniform. His dignity had just been squashed flat, along with his lungs. "In about an hour," he wheezed. "Trains run on an hour-fifteen schedule out in the boonies, instead of the forty-five schedule they have in Central."

"An hour...right..." Ed mused in a somewhat hazy way, slumping over the suitcase. Izumi would be back...when did she say again? God he hoped she wouldn't be back within the hour...they'd have to wait for the NEXT train and maybe even the one after THAT if she did show up...

Havoc lit up another cigarette, cursing the little shrimp under his breath for squishing the other one. "Do you just want to leave now and wait for the train on the platform? It'll be a little warm, but definitely doable."

He got to his feet, biting back a groan from squashed bits and pieces of his anatomy.

"Now?! DEAR GOD YES LET'S!"

With that Ed had proceeded to drag the overstuffed suitcase towards the front door in a hasty break for freedom.

"Oy, kid. You want me to carry your suitcase? It's a bit large for you."

Fume.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE CAN'T EVEN CARRY HIS OWN SUITCASE!"

Havoc held his hands up. "Woah, woah. Easy, Elric. I was just saying, that's a bit overstuffed, we're in a hurry, and I thought maybe I could carry it so you could run like hell, which you seem to want to do."

He popped his cigarette back into his mouth. _Touchy little spud, isn't he?_

"Right... Run like hell..." With that Edward dropped the suitcase and did just that. Run like hell, that is.

Havoc huffed a sigh. Scooping up the bag, he walked quickly away from the Den of the Ninja Housewife.

-------------------------------

At the station, Ed huffed and wheezed and otherwise displayed extreme exhaustion, collapsing onto a bench inside the depot and heaving a heavy sigh of relief at not getting caught along the way.

"Thank goodness..."

Some time later, Havoc loped up, the bag under his arm and his uniform jacket over his shoulder.

"For crying out loud," he panted. "It's hotter than blue blazes here."

He followed Ed's lead and collapsed onto a bench, the suitcase falling to the ground.

Ed grunted in response, throwing his red coat at the other bench and nailing Havoc right in the face with it.

Heat wasn't the problem, it was exhaustion, but this was nothing compared to Izumi.

Havoc clawed the thick red wool away from his face. "Hey, watch it, short stuff!"

Ed was up from the bench and tackling Havoc within the next two seconds, growling.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A FLEA SIZED ULTRA SHRIMP!"

"OOOF!" For the third time that day – hell, that very hour – Havoc had all the available air blasted out of his lungs.

"I... didn't... say... that..." he managed, trying to keep the rabid blond from his throat. "Dammit, Elric, are you trying to kill me?!"

"YES!"

The blond was still trying to claw furiously at Havoc's throat, failing miserably as he was kept just out of reach by arms that just so happened to be longer than his.

Desperate times call for very desperate measures. Havoc rolled over and pinned the boy to the ground. Unfortunately, passerby would see a grown man straddling a young boy with said young boy's hands pinned above his head. And both parties breathing heavily. But what the hell.

"Elric, what the hell are you thinking?! If I show up dead, then what do you think Colonel Mustang will do with you? It'd probably be a whole hell of a lot worse than what your Deranged Ninja Teacher would do!"

Ed swallowed hard, trying to regain his breath as shocked golden eyes stared up at the Lieutenant, his mouth gaping open due to a failure of coherent speech even remotely coming to mind. He was stock still.

"Thank you." Havoc's eyes alighted on Ed's red coat, and an idea popped into his brain. Returning the favor.

He grabbed the thick wool and stuffed a generous corner of it (maybe it was a sleeve?) into Ed's mouth. "That should keep you quiet!" he said gleefully.

Gold eyes widened even more as the braided alchemist suddenly let out a girlish scream, which was almost entirely muffled due to the fabric in his mouth, and began to wriggle beneath his captor, struggling to escape frantically.

"Oh, stop squirming kiddo. I'm not gonna do anything unless you want me to."

The Lieutenant pulled a cigarette out of his pack and lit it. Inhaling deeply, he remarked, "You're not as fast or as strong as you used to be."

Ed stared in disbelief and attempted to exclaim something, but the cloth still in his mouth made it entirely incoherent.

"MMDNHUNF!?"

Havoc removed the wool from Ed's mouth. "Beg pardon?" he said pleasantly. He inhaled deeply on his cigarette.

Ed stared dumbly up at Havoc, opening his mouth to say something and then snapping it shut again, only to open it once more just a second later, and close it again. This went on for about five minutes.

"Well, then. I suppose I can put the coat back in place, seeing as you don't really have anything to say." Havoc reached out for the wool again.

Ed's eyes widened again and he shook his head vigorously. "NONONONONONONONONONO!"

"Good. Because some things are rather difficult with a wad of wool shoved in your mouth." The older man grinned cryptically. "Yet, somehow, some things are much more fun when you're gagged."

Ed didn't even realize his jaw was hanging open again, as he stared blankly at the Lieutenant, completely at a loss for words.

Havoc scooted back, perching on Ed's knees. By necessity, this required that he let Ed's wrists go.

He kept most of his weight on his own knees. It was just common sense. But he did allow his left hand to... 'slip'.

The older man knew that he should be embarrased to touch Ed there. But he wasn't. He wasn't going to question why.

Could Ed's eyes widen any more? Probably not.

There was about thirty seconds of the gears turning, comprehending, slow and eventual realization. Put two and two together, Ed.

"WHATTHEFUCKYOUPERVERTWHATTHEHELLDOYOUTH INKYOU'REDOING!"

In one lightning quick movement, Ed pushed himself up further, tucked his left leg in, and shot his foot out HARD into Havoc's groin.

There was one of two things Havoc could do at this moment. One, to curl up in a tiny, mewling heap. Two, to messily disgorge the contents of his stomach on Ed.

"BLEARGH!" Well, looks like it was the latter.

Edward Elric couldn't do a thing but stare in horror at the putrid mess that now covered his stomach and half his pants.

At least, he couldn't do a thing for a few seconds.

"Tha...wha...y...ju...wa...EEEUUUUGGH!!" The bile-covered alchemist started scooting back frantically as if it would get him away from the horrid smelling mess. Seeing as that didn't work, he scrambled over, letting gravity take most of it off, as he slipped in the mess whilst trying to scramble away.

Having recovered at preturnatural speed (what do you think military training is for?), Havoc grabbed Ed's foot, yanking him back through the mess. Then he got to his feet and planted a firm foot in the small of the kid's back, squishing him in even further.

"YOU ROTTEN LITTLE MAGGOT!"

Ed suddenly felt sick, nose just inches away from the disgusting mess. He made a sound that would be described as a mixture of a wheeze and a yelp of pain as he felt a boot-clad foot pushed against his back.

"Guh..." The alchemist's eyes were already watering at the hot liquid that was starting to rise into his mouth. But Ed just bit his lip and swallowed hard.

A distant screech and whistle heralded the arrival of the train. Hastily, Havoc removed his foot from the kid's back.

"Elric, go get cleaned up. Now."

Having the foot removed from his back allowed Ed to flip over onto his back, catching the Lieutenant's ankle between his calves and, in turn, sending the older man to the ground. "Make me, Lieutenant." The blond boy sneered.

Havoc grabbed Ed's throat. For a few minutes he sat there and fumed. After he had gotten scary enough to make even Mustang run screaming from the room, he finally started to speak in a frighteningly calm voice.

"Don't you dare go pulling rank on me you snotnosed little upstart. If it wasn't for the fact that you were one of those wonderful little alchemists, you would still be a civilian or a lowly private. But no. You're one of those prodigies of a dead government, and you have a rank that you don't deserve now or ever. At least Colonel Mustang earned his rank a hundred times over."

Ed hissed through his teeth. "You know damn well how he got that rank...the only thing that makes him different than me is the fact that he killed people and 'won the war against Ishbar' and was a total suckup to his superiors after the war!"

"Do you think he LIKED it? Do you think he sat there laughing while people burned and died? Do you think he went back home and sat back and relaxed?

"Don't be an idiot, Major Elric. He wanted to try to bring all the dead people back. The only reason why he didn't was because Hughes, bless his soul, stopped him. The only reason why he didn't shoot himself in the head after assassinating the Rockbells is because Dr. Marcoh stopped him. He carries these deaths more heavily than you could ever imagine. Even now, he's slowing going crazy from it."

As Havoc ranted his grip got tighter and tighter around the kid's throat.

Ed simply closed his eyes and relaxed.

So this is how I'm going to die, is it? Heh...I sure deserve it...

But from the back of his mind there rose a flash of images. All of those dreams...

Golden eyes shot open again, one gloved hand reaching up to grasp a handful of Havoc's shirt slowly as Ed tried to swallow, squeezing in a few difficult breaths.

He should've been the one to be defending Mustang...why he didn't know...but he felt that he should have been the one...

Havoc let go of the kid's throat. "Ch. You're not worth killing. What would you care if the Colonel did anything like that? You're out for yourself and only for yourself."

He got up, peering out over the tracks.

Damn. The train was coming and he was a mess. Luckily, the railroad system was used to men in uniform looking like shit.

Ed too got to his feet, staggering a bit and regaining his balance as he rubbed his neck. His words were more rasped than spoken, as his throat muscles slowly regained their natural flow of blood. "You're wrong..."

Golden eyes gazed with a fierce intensity at Havoc.

Havoc kept his eyes on the train slowly trundling towards them. "Am I? Have you ever fought for something bigger than yourself? Have you ever dedicated your life to save innocent people from a madman? Have you sacrificed your morals and ideals for a single goal that will better the lives of millions of people?

"I applaud you for risking your life to save your brother. But to me, it makes no difference."

"I'm...not that strong..." It was hard to admit for Ed, but he knew it was true. Roy would always be the bigger man...Roy was always that much better than him...and he really fucking hated it, but that's how it was.

"But you're wrong in saying that I wouldn't care..." A tousled blond head of hair entered Havoc's peripheral vision as Ed stepped up next to him.

"Do you care?"

The train screeched to a halt. "Grab your coat, kiddo, and get onboard. I'll get your case and my jacket. We can clean up inside."

"I do care..." It was a half-hearted mumble, but it meant more than that. Even if nobody heard it, Edward did.

The blond alchemist grabbed his coat and climbed aboard, looking back over his shoulder at the older, yet lower ranked, officer.

_And he'll never know how much I care...he can't know..._

Havoc grabbed Ed's suitcase, grunting at the weight of it. _Is there another Elric in here or something?_

The man had heard Ed's half-hearted mumble, but chose to ignore it. His pride was still sore about the pipsqueak's jab at his authority, and he wasn't inclined to belive in any good side the little shit may have shown.

He hauled the luggage onboard, acknowledging the conducter's sardonic grin.

----------

The blond and foul smelling alchemist sat uncomfortably on the edge of one of the plush, comfortable seats in the private, military-exclusive escort car.

He wasn't uncomfortable necessarily because he was covered in drying, stinking spew, but rather because it was just the way the previous conversation with the Lieutenant sitting across from him (in an equally foul state of cleanliness, of course, Ed had made sure of it) in complete silence had gone.

If Havoc had been anyone else, he would have been sulking. Now... He was annoyed, certainly, but he realized that Fullmetal was still a little kid. Sure, he was a great alchemist, one of the best ever produced in the country, but he still knew squat about Real Life™.

He wrinkled his nose. "Y'know, something, kid? You smell awful."

Edward scowled in response, wrinkling his own nose. "So do you...and it's your fault too..."

Fullmetal shifted a little uneasily on the edge of the seat.

"Agreed. Now, your suitcase is on the overhead rack. I'm going a couple cars down to draw from Supplies. And bring back something stink-proof that we can put our clothes in."

Havoc got up to leave. He felt in his pocket. "DAMMIT!" he wailed.

There was a deviously cattish grin on Ed's face as he watched the way the Lieutenant became much like a child who'd lost his favorite toy.

"Heey, Lieutenant...looking for these...?"

The blond alchemist flashed an unopened pack of cigarettes that was quickly replaced in his pocket.

Havoc entertained detailed fantasies of beating Fullmetal into a stringy red smear on the upholstry. But then Colonel would have his hide, and that would be even worse.

"I hate you," he growled, stalking off like an offended cat. Plotting straightforward revenge against the blond pipsqueak.

"Goddamn gopher," he grunted before he exited the car.

Edward was actually rather surprised by the lack of retaliation. He'd really expected the Lieutenant to scramble for the prized addiction.

He didn't hit him that hard...did he?

A blond head peeked out of the car, golden eyes staring after Havoc.

A quick glance over his shoulder told Havoc that Fullmetal was watching him, and his eyebrows snapped together. Usually the pipsqueak would be off flaring insanely about any crack about his height. Now... there was just a dumbstruck look on his face.

_That's certainly an improvement,_ he thought sardonically. Opening the Supply car, he searched for the Men's 22 B box.

The alchemist blinked, still astounded and somewhat in a state of shock, as he stepped out of the car and idly followed the path that Havoc had taken, not really realizing it at the moment.

Havoc found the crate, pried it open and pulled out a black shirt. Thank god for army issue. He stripped off his soiled shirt.

"Oh damn." He rooted around for a bag to hold the wad of messy black cloth.

By the time Ed had made it to the Supply car, he'd already chucked his boots over his shoulder, wadded up his coat and gloves, and was in the process of awkwardly trying to get off his jacket with just one hand.

The blond boy made a point of not looking at Havoc, and attempted to busy himself by digging through the available clothing in hopes of finding something that actually would fit him.

It wasn't because he was small. No. Not at all.

It was because everybody in the military was _gigantic_.

Somehow, Havoc managed to rustle up a canvas mail bag (empty, duh) and shoved his old shirt far back into the bag. He made his way to the M-22-B crate and saw something rather unexpected.

"What the hell are you doing here, gopher-boy?"

"Feh...trying to find clean clothes, what the hell does it look like..."

Ed still didn't look up at the Lieutenant, seeing as he was too busy yanking off his shirt to add to the growing pile of foul clothes that was atop his also foul coat, which he'd just so happened to decide to use as a bundle for the mess when he was done.

"Like you're going to find anything to fit you here," Havoc scoffed. "You're way too short. Like a goddamn head-sitting gopher that goes 'yap'. Now, can I have my cigarettes back?"

Havoc then promptly got a face full of putrid smelling jacket, followed almost instantly by a rabid, half-naked alchemist tackling him to the ground. Or rather, the floor, as well as whatever the Lieutenant happened to be standing in front of at the time.

"OUF!" For the FOURTH time in an hour and a half, Havoc got all the air blasted out of his lungs. But this time he had an icky jacket shoved in his face, so he was infinitely unhappier about it.

"WHY YOU LITTLE...!" He peeled Ed off and stood up, dangling the hissing and spitting little alchemist out at arm's length. "I ought to skin you alive and rub salt on you!"

Yup. It was going to be a long train ride.

"It's your fault!!!"

Ed proceeded to flail about miserably, trying to get a hold of something he could bite, scratch, claw, or otherwise maul.

The Lieutenant shook Ed. "Get a grip, you twerp!" he roared. "Do I have to knock you senseless?"

Havoc stood there, giving glare for glare until the kid backed down.

"Aagh!!" Edward Elric was not going to back down.

Instead, he clung despite being shaken.

"Take it back and maybe I'll let go!"

"Take a minute to think, kid. Are you really in any position to tell me what to do? I'm bigger, faster, stronger, and heavier than you are. If you really piss me off, I'll let you do a convincing bird impression out the back door. The good Colonel will just have to lump it."

There was a clapping sound and Ed's right hand hovered over his pocket. "Take it back or I'll transmute your damn smokes into a figurine of you kissing Mustang's ass!"

Havoc swung Ed gently. "Go ahead. It'll just make me madder than hell. Oh, by the way, Colonel Mustang gave me leave to tie you up in a nice, neat package." His eyes narrowed. "And one other thing."

Ed pouted indignantly and managed to wriggle out of the older man's grasp and get to his feet again, throwing the small, rectangular box at Havoc's face as he growled and started digging in the clothes again.

It was a rather spontaneous change of pace, but Ed didn't even say a word, giving no indication as to just what it was that made him give.

Havoc shrugged, not questioning his good fortune. He really didn't want to beat up the little twerp anyway, so he guessed it was all okay.

He opened the pack and pulled out a cigarette. Then he realized he still didn't have a shirt on. Following normal logic, he popped on one of the standard-issue black shirts then lit the cigarette. Ahhh... much better...

He tossed down the mailbag. "Put your dirty clothes in here."

Edward grunted in reply and shoved the jacket and coat into the bag, followed shortly by his shirt, gloves, and pants.

Ignoring the fact that he was all but naked in front of the man who's hand just so happened to slip earlier, the braided blond rummaged around, trying to find something that would at least not look like a dress on him.

"Check in the boxes marked 'M-5'," Havoc advised, making his way towards the door. "Those should fit you. And when you're done, bring the bag back into our car – I'll need to stow it with our luggage." He yawned around his cigarette. "For now, I'm going to go take a nap."

Ed grumbled something incoherent and raised a hand in a thanking but mostly dismissive gesture, finding said box and digging for the right articles of clothing.

Havoc made his way back to their car, sitting down on the seat with a grateful sigh. "What a day."

After extinguishing his cigarette, he dropped off into a snooze.

After finding the necessary clothing, and, conveniently, a pair of boots that actually fit him as well, the blond boy untied his braid, finding a tap and wetting his hair.

After sufficiently giving up on making the braid look good with his current state of dress, Ed simply tied his hair back into a ponytail, much like he'd done when he was younger, and alchemized himself dry.

Satisfied, Ed neglected to actually close the jacket, as he tended to do, and, picking up the bag (once it was sealed rather well of course) , he closed the door to the supply car behind him, making his way back to where Havoc was resting.

Once there, the boy stretched out himself across the opposite seat, yawning rather loudly and staring at the ceiling.

_Hrm... pork chop sandwiches... yummy... Why can't they ever serve good food in the mess?_ Havoc's nose twitched a bit. _Yeah... Pork chop sandwiches and good beer... and some of that northern chocolate too... M'mm... and stop issuing these crap cigarettes... m'mm... maybe something like the ribs Dad used to make when I was little... All we ever get is SOS and maybe some tinned fruit if we're lucky._

He was unaware of the unhappy little growl that he made.

Ed blinked and poked at Havoc's leg with the toe of his boot. Despite the fact that the little voice in the back of his head warned him that the man was probably dreaming about boiled shrimp.

_Or... maybe chicken.._. Poke poke. _Honeyed ham?_ Poke poke. _Good barley beer... none of that watered-down shit they give us on holidays..._ Poke poke.

"Goddammit, man, what's your problem?" Havoc snarled, opening up an eye.

"Eheh...nothin'...just bored..." Ed sat up again, sighing heavily as golden eyes settled on the glint of automail.

"You know...there wasn't anybody there to stop us..."

Havoc woke all the way up in two nano-seconds flat. "Beg pardon?"

"We were too young to know any better...and everybody else was too oblivious to know what we were trying to do..." Ed flexed his automail fingers slowly. "It's a good theory...but just what is equivalent trade..."

A little warning buzzer in the back of Havoc's mind went off. This was one of those Bad Subjets that he tried his damnedest to stay away from. But the kid looked like he needed help, so he tried.

"Maybe... I dunno, maybe you were supposed to do what you did. Trading your innocence for a kind of wisdom. Trading your idealism for truth.

"Shit, man, this isn't my area of expertise. I like problems that I can fix by the mimimum application of philosophical thought. Isn't the theory of equivalent trade a crock of shit?"

"I don't know..." Ed let his hands rest on his legs and looked up from his brooding to look across at Havoc. "If you were in Mustang's place, would you have done it?"

Havoc sat back. Well, now. Seeking vindication, are we?

"If I knew what I knew now, no. But if I didn't... maybe. I don't know. How could I? I never had the power to do that. I never wanted it. I always thought it was more honest to kill someone face-to-face and to fix them the old-fashoned way. Alchemy's so... impersonal. It dehumanizes our instincts. Instead of relying on falible guns, you rely on an infinite source of whatever. You have a lesser chance of paying for your sins."

He felt his cheeks begin to warm. Dammit! BAD conversation!

"Alchemy for the people...it's a good coverup, but that's all it is really..." Ed moved to the other side of the compartment, settling himself on the seat next to Havoc.

"But when it comes time to fight..." He looked at his feet.

_Cry, let slip loose the dogs of war..._

Edward shuddered.

"When it comes time to fight you guys are the perfect fighting machines. Able to wipe out an entire city in seconds flat. You can protect yourselves better than the common footsoldier and kill faster. Perhaps kill them mercifully, I don't know. I don't really care.

"All I know is when I see the Colonel snap his fingers, I want to throw up because I can smell burning humans. And I know he can too."

Havoc stared moodily out the window at the landscape. "In that Ishbar war that you're always harping on, people like me and Riza became cannon fodder. Because you damned alchemists are too good at killing people." He smiled bitterly. "Bet you never thought of it that way."

"Most of us aren't like Gran and Kimbley you know..." Edward sighed again and turned to curl up in the seat, leaning back against Havoc.

"It's not like they wanted to do it...it was an order..."

"That's not my point. My point is that we were ordered to protect the alchemists, not ourselves. Our camp was attacked in the middle of the war. Fifty footsoldiers were killed outright. Twenty more were mortally maimed – not mortally wounded, but maimed. It was horrible. I was a walking wounded. Everyone who could still hold a gun was ordered to hold perimeter around the alchemists while medics came to patch them up. Not the footsoldiers. The alchemists."

The Lieutenant's voice was thick with loathing and bitterness, but he was beyond caring.

"Damn military pigs..." Ed himself felt almost the same way about the military, using the alchemists as the most deadly of weapons.

That's all they were to the Fuhrer...weapons...

"At least you're not just there to make the military look good like they really care about people...at least you're not just the military's cheap shot that they pull out to flatten the competition when it gets too bloody..."

"Of course. You wouldn't see it like that. You'd only see it from the alchemist's point of view, the Great Wrong that was forced on them by the Führer. I guess it's only natural." Havoc sighed and leaned his head back against the back of his seat. "But I'm probably boring you, so I'll shut up now."

"And of course you'd only see it from the point of view of a soldier who's purpose was destroyed when the Alchemists came to town..." Ed replied sullenly, with a slight hint of the same begrudging tone.

"Hell, yeah! I was almost killed by an alchemist! Stupid fuck went crazy and flared off on our squad. Killed three of my friends, so forgive me if I'm a little embittered." Havoc glared down at the short alchemist, hoping basely that the gopher would spontaneously combust.

"S'not my fault Bradley was crazy enough to send the Crimson Alchemist out there with a Philosopher's Stone, and besides, from what I've read your squad got it easy compared to HIS..."

Golden eyes closed with a sigh. "If I could make up for everything that happened back then I would...but there's nothing anybody can do about it now..." Ed felt strangely comfortable leaning against the older man. Maybe it was the smell of smoke lingering in his clothes that made the volatile little hellchild in his mind curl up in a ball and purr like a helpless kitten. "I'm sorry about your friends..." He added, remorsefully.

"There's a lot that didn't make it to the history books, kid. We weren't heroes like the Colonel. We constantly got trashed by both sides – point duty is hell on earth, all blood and no glory. Don't let anyone tell you different..." Havoc trailed off. And finally decided to give up.

"Don't worry about my friends. All nine of them were given proper burials. I made sure of that. It's the only thing I could do to make the war just a little bit better."

"There's no such thing as a war hero...and if there was...the title would never go to an alchemist...that would be like giving a promotion to a rocket launcher for hitting its target..."

Ed shifted again, blond head now resting against Havoc's leg, as his ponytail fell over into the older man's lap. "Fame and glory isn't all it's cut out to be...you're lucky..." Golden eyes looked up at him.

Havoc snorted slightly. "A promotion to a rocket launcher? I should throw that one out to Armstrong next time he gets uppity." He kept his head back against the rest, trying to keep a headache at bay. "Damn it, where are my cigarettes?"

Ed heaved a sigh and pulled the carton out of the breast pocket of the uniform he was wearing. "You left them in the Supply car..."

"Dammit, I knew my pockets were too light." The nicotine addicted Lieutenant looked down at the carton of cigarettes. "I only wish they gave us better ones," he said mournfully. "These are cheap, disgusting tobacco. Army Supply sucks." He felt around in his pockets. Pulling out his lighter, he lit the end and inhaled deeply. "Ahh... much better."

"Nn..." Ed closed his eyes, turning onto his side in the seat to nestle his face into the fabric at Havoc's hip, in attempt to filter the smoke that would soon drift through the car. The smell of it made him feel warm and fuzzy, but the smoke itself made him choke.

Almost out of instinct, Havoc laid his hand on Ed's head. "Sorry. You want me to stop?"

Ed turned his head slightly to look up at the older man with a small smile. "S'okay...I'll be fine...'sides...'s comfy..."

That said, the blond alchemist snuggled back in against Havoc's hip with a content sigh.

Havoc let his head fall back. At least he could take a nap without that horror from hell bothering him... but he didn't exactly trust where those dreams could lead.

He dragged deeply on the cigarette. What the hell. Fullmetal isn't complaining. He drifted off into a deep snooze.

Noticing the Lieutenant's breaths begin to slow and even out, Edward gathered that he was sleeping. Still catching the faint whiff of smoke in the air, Ed rolled over, lightly touching his hands together and reaching up to snuff out the smoldering tip of the cigarette.

_Goddamn, I'm tired. And what the heck? Why is my mind playing back scenes from that book I read last week? Ow, ow OW!_

"Fullmetal, goddammit, you're pointy! THAT HURTS!"

Ed winced and retreated to his former position, looking up at the Lieutenant with apologetic and slightly hurt golden eyes, that is, if Havoc would've looked.

"Sorry...but you shouldn't doze off with a lit cigarette..."

"Oh. Sorry." Havoc took the extinguished stump down. "I get so used to it that I fall asleep with a cigarette at least once a week." He grinned ruefully. "Bad habit?"

"Normally I'd just say smoking is a bad habit in itself...but I think with you it's just one of those little quirks that highlights your personality..." The blond boy smiled genuinely up at the man, snatching the cigarette and putting it to his own lips. "It just doesn't suit me like it does you, ne?"

Havoc gave a strangled little chuckle. "Good Lord, no. You'd kill yourself. I can see it now, getting beaten to a pulp by your little brother because you're very definately NOT a smoker." He snatched it back. "Besides, you look more than just slightly ridiculous."

"Yeah...Al'd never let me live that one down..."

Ed pushed himself into a sitting position and turned around, swinging his legs up onto the seat so that they went over Havoc's, feet resting on the other side of him. The blond leaned forward against his knees, staring out the window with a sigh before turning his head to rest on his knees, gold eyes looking now at Havoc. Ed was smiling.

Havoc cocked his head. "Entertaining visions of me getting mauled by your brother?" he asked pleasantly.

Ed chuckled lightly, grinning now. "You're worse than me thinking you were dreaming about boiled shrimp..."

_Earth to Ed, what have you been sniffing?_

_Ed to Earth, military issue cigarette smoke, what else?_

_Earth to Ed, you are a moron._

Ed chose to ignore the little voice in his head after that, looking again out the window at the brilliant array of color that spread across the sky with the setting sun. So it wasn't raining...that's odd...

Havoc gave a snorted chuckle. "Boiled shrimp? Kid, I hate seafood. All kinds of seafood, shrimp included. Give me a good steak any day, and I'll be happy." He lit another cigarette. "What the heck got boiled shrimp in your head, anyway?"

_This is one habit that I have GOT to break soon. Die by the time I'm forty, I will._ He smiled to himself. _Or at least start smoking better cigarettes.. _

Ed was, needless to say, a bit surprised when Havoc didn't catch the reference to his height and further it by calling him a gopher again...

"Naa...it's nothing..." Ed wrinkled his nose a bit, ducking his face into the smoke-free zone otherwise known as Havoc's open jacket.

Havoc's eyebrows shot up so far and so fast that he nearly gave himself a headache. "Oi, oi! What's wrong?" He wanted to peel the kid off, but got the distinct (not unpleasant) feeling that it would be rude. Sort of.

The blond boy mumbled something that resembled "Nuffin..."

Nuzzling his head up under Havoc's right arm and wriggling his flesh and blood arm behind Havoc's back, Ed discovered that this was surprisingly comfortable, an added plus to the whole warm and fuzzy feeling that the aroma of smoke seemed to give him. Just the smell, mind you, his head was buried for a reason, as the alchemist didn't want to gag on the smoke itself.

"...Okay..." Not really sure how to explain the phenomenon, Havoc decided to do the safe thing and just go with it. He gingerly put his right hand on the kid's back, idly twining his fingers through the loose ponytail.

He inhaled through the cigarette. _Man, the Colonel's gonna be pissed if he finds out... _Fraternization was right under insubordination on Mustang's List of Very Bad Things to Do.

Ed's voice was muffled, but still understandable, as he nuzzled his head in such a way to be able to peer up at Havoc, but still to have his mouth and nose filtering air through the fabric of his shirt.

"Hey...um...that whole...thing...earlier..."

There wasn't really any easy way to say it, as it wasn't long before Ed buried his face completely once more, due to the heat he felt rising to his cheeks.

"Eh?"

_What thing? We've been arguing since before we got on the train... Oh._ Havoc could feel the color rising to his own cheeks. _If he's talking about what I think he's talking about... well, then FUCK. Okay. Not the best choice of words there, Havoc. SHIT._

"What do you mean?" he asked, striving for casual curiosity. And probably failing.

Ed's voice was less muffled now, but only because he was looking somewhat down, in order to hide his face still from the older man.

"I..er...um...I mean...uhh...erm..."

Damnit, since when did this get so hard!

"Look, kiddo, if you're mumbling about what I think you're mumbling about, we're both screwed as far as the military laws go. If not, just come out and say it."

All right, so maybe that was a little harsh.

Starting to get frustrated, Ed reached up with his automail hand, pinching off the lit end of Havoc's cigarette and plucking the cancer stick from his mouth, promptly tossing it over to the other side of the booth as he raised his head out from under the man's arm.

Gold eyes half glared at the Lieutenant as Edward's voice came out a bit more whiny than he'd meant for it to.

"This isn't about military laws it's about you and you touching me there and I just...!"

Halfway through Ed found that he couldn't finish his little rant due to a sudden and very extreme embarrassment. His face must've been so red...

Havoc bit his lip, whether to stop himself laughing or for chewing out the little runt for pinching his cigarette. "I don't exactly see you warding me off with a string of garlic, gopher-boy." He shook the kid off to go find the cigarette before it set the booth on fire. "And I don't think I'm going to apologize, as a simple 'I'm sorry, won't do it again' would just make you even madder than you already are," he said, bending over to pick up the cigarette.

"Damn it, that's half a pack in one day," he growled.

While Havoc was bent over, Ed grabbed hold of the other man's belt, yanking hard and quickly scooting over a bit so that the larger, heavier figure wouldn't smush him, as Havoc was pulled back into his seat once more, before being able to retrieve the already snuffed cigarette butt.

Sitting on the Lieutenant's lap, Ed made it quite clear that he wasn't just going to drop it, and that Havoc's answer was not the one he was looking for.

Havoc poked Ed hard. "Don't give me that look, kiddo. I meant what I said. If I apologized, you'd do something ungodly to me, and then I'd have to explain why I have tentacles growing out of my face. Admit it. Now get off, you're squashing me."

"I don't want an apology, Lieutenant...what I want is an explanation..." Ed tilted his head slightly, loosely draping his arms around Havoc's neck and waiting for an answer. "And no...I'm not going to get off..."

"Fine. The quick explanation is that I like you. Are you going to be happy with that, or are you going to run me through an entire interrogation?"

Ed blinked, tilting his head a bit more.

"But I thought...what about Mustang? You're always sticking up for him..." The alchemist frowned slightly. "And why are you such a jerk to me then!"

Despite his attempt to seem unphased, or at least not curious or embarrassed, the blood rising to his cheeks was betraying the uneasiness Ed was feeling.

"I'm always such a jerk to you because you're a screaming idiot! It's bloody obvious that you like Mustang more than you'd care to admit and it drives me nuts that you're always badmouthing him. If that's how you show how you like people, then I probably should rethink liking you. Now get off."

Ed was trying to think of a good retort to that...

The operative word being trying. And failing, only managing to make him blush more.

Finally, Edward blurted out:

"Then why do you like me if I'm a screaming idiot!"

Havoc shrugged. "Why do people like other people? All I know right now is that I'm seriously reconsidering any advances and the fact that you're cutting off the circulation to my right leg. Either get off or shift your weight."

Confused, angry, frustrated golden eyes brimmed with hot, unshed tears as the older Elric's bottom lip quivered just the slightest bit, and he was forced to bite it to keep it from continuing, as measured, but still unsteady breaths passed through his nostrils, and he kept his mouth shut.

It was the only thing Ed could do just then...there was so much to say but nothing could be said at all.

_I hate you...why can't you just make sense...I hate him...he's such a jerk to me...I need to understand...I need you...I need him...you're both so warm so how can you be so cold..._

Havoc puffed out a tight little sigh. He hated it when people got looks like that. "I'm sorry," he finally said. "That came out harsher than I intended it to. It's just... I'm antagonizing you, you're being a bratty kid." He pushed his finger against Ed's pert nose. "If we're going to continue this conversation, either scoot closer or sit on my knees. My legs are seriously asleep."

Ed took the former option, scooting closer and promptly burying his face in the cloth covering Havoc's shoulder, frustrated with himself, with the man who's lap he sat on, with another man who had sent this man to fetch him back...but mostly with himself...because he didn't understand any of it, and because he was weak.

The blond alchemist held back most of the sounds that came with crying, but his ragged breaths were a dead giveaway, even if he didn't let slip a pathetic whimper every so often.

Havoc sighed, hugging the kid tight. He wasn't really quite sure what he could say, so he didn't say anything.

He leaned his head against the kid's lending what comfort he could.

Edward sniffed slightly, trying to pick up any hint of that smoky musk that for reasons unknown just comforted him. He wiped his eyes on Havoc's jacket, trying to compose himself and leaning back slightly so he could look at the older man's face.

He opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out, and he'd almost just forgotten what he was going to say, so he closed it again, though lips barely parted in case he were to try again.

He couldn't say it, but he could think...he knew...but he didn't know how to say it...

_I...I want to know...need to know...to understand..._

Havoc's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Don't cry Ed. Whatever's wrong, it isn't worth it. Trust me." He tugged gently at the long gold ponytail. "Is there something you want to ask me?"

Once Ed's breathing had returned to a speech coherent state, the blond boy leaned forward, so close that his lips brushed Havoc's lightly, and his whisper was just as light.

"Teach me…"

Havoc returned the 'kiss' with a light one of his own – more of a question than an answer. "Are you sure?" he murmured.

"Do you like me or not..." It was more of a rhetorical question, really.

"Just take the opportunity before I start thinking rationally again..." Ed shifted slightly on Havoc's lap. He wanted to know...but...he was...afraid, too...

The corner of Havoc's mouth quirked. "You might not like the way I taste," he joked. "All that smoke may have made me sour."

He decided that he wanted to see Ed's hair down, so he tugged the band out.

Ed shifted again, nervously, trying to keep eye contact but finding his eyes wandering and trying to avoid it. He swallowed compulsively, licking his lips lightly.

All of the slow, stalling gestures were starting to make him uppity, and the blond alchemist surprised himself when he heard a little whine slip loose.

Havoc chuckled at the adorable little noise. "Shy?" he purred.

Ed blushed slightly, pouting indignantly as he looked at Havoc, this time keeping eye contact.

Havoc chucked again, then threw all caution to the winds. He caught Ed in a fierce kiss, his arms tightening around the boy.

Ed's eyes widened in surprise, body going rigid at first. It was so sudden, he wasn't expecting it...

But after a few moments, his eyes closed, and he let his body move of its own volition, lips parting in a startled gasp as his grip too tightened, pulling himself as close as was possible.

Heaven. Paradise. This limp boy against him, their arms so tight that it was hard to breathe... The semi-sweet taste of his mouth, the feel of the boy's long hair brushing his face. Everything was so perfect.

Havoc broke the kiss. "Happy?" he panted. He rested his forehead in the curve of the boy's neck and shoulder. "Damn. Are you sure this is your first time?" Unable to resist, he nuzzled Ed's neck.

Ed sighed heavily after regaining his breath, nuzzling his face into the crook of Havoc's neck and smiling, wriggling just a bit at the feel of the other man's breath against his own neck, tickling.

"Ah...thanks, Jean..."

It was the first time the boy could recall that he'd used the Lieutenant's first name...

Havoc let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. All's well that ends well, he thought, amused and relived.

The moment was perhaps a bit spoiled when his stomach rumbled.

Ed moved his head back to look down at Havoc's stomach, as though it were some unexpected small furry creature that had jumped up in the middle of the bed during...well...things...

Havoc grinned lopsidedly. "Sorry about that. You have to be aware though, that I technically have nothing left in my stomach, owing to a rather embarrassing incident earlier? Let's grab something to eat and talk about what just happened."

Practicality, not romanticism.

Ed blushed furiously, looking back up at Havoc and pouting rather cutely.

"You don't have to remind me." The blond alchemist looked away pointedly and added as a mumbled afterthought, "I'm sorry…."

Havoc kissed the cute little nose. "Don't be. I'm used to it, trust me."

That comment warranted a quirked brow and a sarcastic look from one National Alchemist.

"I thought Roy was your problem, not the girls..."

Insert one very smug and very teasing look here from one Edward Elric.

Havoc quirked his own brow right back. "I'm sure you know all about that." He leaned in to steal a quick, hard kiss.

Ed hadn't been expecting that one at all, and for a moment he just sat there and blinked.

Trying to look as miffed as possible, and utterly failing when a grin broke through, the blond alchemist shook his head.

After a pointedly long moment of just letting the silence linger, Ed got up and moved to the other benchlike plush seat, stretching out to get comfortable. "Go get something to eat, if you're going to teach me I don't want you to be distracted by something like an empty stomach..." That Grin was still in place.

Havoc nodded agreeably, getting up and shrugging off his jacket. Leaving only the tight, black, revealing army-issue tee shirt. "Fair enough. You want anything?"

And somewhere between his previous statement and the Lieutenant removing his jacket, all coherent thought ceased to exist.

Ed stared blankly for a moment, before nodding dumbly and replying in an equally dumb way.

"Sex-ImeannothanksI'mfine! Youjustgogetfu-OOD, right, food, andI'lljustsithereandthinkaboutfuck-Imea nsex-Imeansleepingto- er...sleeping...just...yeah..."

Havoc blinked. Then, as the incoherent string of babble finally decoded itself, he grinned, slowly, evilly, and seductively. "Sure thing, Edward."

He turned around and left, heading to the supper car to grab a mug of water and a few sandwiches.

"I..you...food...you...me...fuck...HO LY SHIT!!"

The first words were mumbled, babbled if you will, in a barely audible tone, but as realization hit him, his voice rose tremendously. He scrambled out of the sectioned off booth, effectively crashing into the door on the OTHER side of the aisle, getting back to his feet in a half a daze, and just stumbling back into the booth and collapsing on the seat again.

Havoc, having grabbed enough food for him and Ed, made his way back to their compartment.

He paused in the doorway, slightly bewildered at the dazed look on Ed's face. "Yo. Fullmetal?"

Ed snapped out of his daze, only to blurt out the one thing he didn't mean to blurt.

"SEX! I mean...hi there..."

Havoc deposited his spoils on the empty bench and leaned over to kiss Ed, long and hard.

"Didn't know I had that effect on you," he murmured against the boy's lips.

Edward leaned forward as Havoc moved away to eat, whining in protest.

On another note, the blond alchemist had come to realize that just because the military issue pants looked like they were looser, didn't mean they actually were...

Havoc sat down, leaned back, and generally made himself as... er... available as possible. He bit into a cream cheese and watercress sandwich. "Care to join me?" he purred.

Ed swallowed hard, tugging off the uniform jacket he was wearing in favor of cooler, more comfortable openness. He hadn't even noticed until now how damn hot that jacket was...or...maybe it wasn't until now...

The boy attempted to occupy himself by pointedly observing the specks on the ceiling.

He's a cute kid when he's in denial, Havoc mused, starting another sandwich.

"What has sex so heavy on your mind?" he asked in a low voice. "I haven't actually done anything."

Pitched just right to drive the kid nuts.

Ed's cheeks reddened, especially considering the thoughts that Havoc's voice pulled him out of...

Or rather, the thoughts that Havoc's voice encouraged even more...

The alchemist squirmed slightly in his seat, fighting back with everything he had to keep from taking the man up on that 'join me' offer...with every intention of 'sharing' that half-eaten sandwich.

"I...er...it...isn't?" Right, Ed. Now look at yourself and tell me, could you even fool ALPHONSE with that? Didn't think so.

Havoc shrugged. "Suit yourself." He patted the seat beside him. "You sure you don't want to join me?"

_I'm not going to do anything until you say what you want..._

He was playing a dangerous game, but he didn't care.

Attempting to keep himself in check, Ed busied himself with taking off his boots, rather clumsily, and trying to get comfortable laying stretched out on the seat.

Of course, he was also trying to ignore the thoughts in the back of his mind that he really shouldn't be having...and the increasingly nagging feeling below his waist that was making it impossible to get comfortable.

Trying also to act at least somewhat composed, the blond alchemist finally decided to roll over on his back and once again focus gold eyes on the ceiling--With one arm draped in what he hoped would seem to be a casual way across his body, in an attempt to make his condition less obvious by hiding it at least a little.

Still more than just slightly uncomfortable, Edward shifted uneasily, trying in vain to keep his eyes on the ceiling, as he seemed to inadvertently keep shifting his gaze across the booth to Havoc.

When his tummy rumbled again, Havoc crammed the rest of his sandwich into his mouth. "You don't want this?" he asked (mumbling around the soft white bread and thick cheese), offering a corned beef and sauerkraut sandwich on hard, crusty bread.

"I wasn't the one who disgorged the contents of his stomach onto the man in front of him..."

It was fact, yes, but Ed was still a bit sour at his clothes being ruined like that...

Still...it had been his fault...

Ed continued to attempt to not look at Havoc, every few seconds failing to keep his resolve and darting golden eyes to the side for a quick glance, hoping that it went unnoticed.

"Was that an insult or your way of saying 'No thanks'?" Havoc remarked, crunching into the sandwich. "I have to say, you need to work on general etiquette."

He noticed the tiny flickers of amber that showed Ed's furtive glances at them, but he didn't remark. Ed obviously wanted to pretend that he wasn't interested. He kept his own blue eyes either politely on Ed's face or out the window, watching the scenery.

Frustrated, Ed let out a rather undignified grunt, sitting up again and shifting a bit restlessly.

"Nnnyergh! I can't take this anymore!!"

The blond alchemist squirmed for a few seconds before giving in, and in just a few fluid movements he had crossed the distance to the older man, knees sliding all the way to the back of the cushioned seat as the boy straddled Havoc's waist. Edward's hands gripped the Lieutenant's wrists and held them at an angle to his sides, and a mouth hungry for something other than the food that was offered swiftly descended to efficiently clean out what Havoc hadn't swallowed yet, though even after that he didn't stop.

_What the hell?!_ Whatever Havoc had been expecting, it certainly wasn't this. He could feel Ed's heart rabbiting against his chest. So he wasn't alone in being completely shocked out of his wits.

Slowly, he placed his hands on Ed's hips, then caressing upwards, pulling the boy even closer.

A soft, mewling growl purred out of his throat.

Unexpected, but damn! He finally got around to it in spades!

Ed growled lightly, but in a rather feral way, as he soon pulled back just slightly, tongue trailing down from the corner of Havoc's mouth to catch a stray drip of sauerkraut, orbs of molten gold slowly opening to gaze at the older man through thick lashes.

Havoc huffed out a long breath. "I hope this will be continued?" he half-asked, half-teased. He kissed the boy, a light, sweet thing.

Ed grinned a bit cattishly, moving his arms around Havoc's neck.

"You'd have to tie me down if you planned on leaving it at that..." he purred, grin only widening as he shifted slightly in the other man's lap, tilting his head and leaning back slightly to gaze now with a more sultry look through half-closed eyes.

"But I wouldn't necessarily mind...the tying down part..."

Apparently, Ed had been brushing up already on his knowledge of...well...things...

Well...he'd run across a couple of...films...back when he was staying at Roy's house...that might explain it...Ed was fairly good at acting when under the right circumstances, after all...

With a quick twist and heave, Havoc put Ed flat on his back, pinning the boy's wrists on either side of his head. "I'm sure we can arrange something like that, if you really want it," he said pleasantly. "I'm sure there are more than enough belts in the Supply car to keep you put." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "And to... have fun in other ways?"

Ed gasped slightly at the swiftness, the power in the movement, blinking a few times up at the blue-eyed man above him before he struggled at the restraint of his arms slightly.

It didn't take but a moment for Ed to simply go with it, moving what he could move, like his legs to get more comfortable, and his eyes to try and gauge just what he was up against...or rather, down beneath for that matter.

Golden orbs wavered slightly, noticing a distinct outline against the older man's chest, and he tilted his head, puzzled, but, trying to ignore the nagging curiosity at what the object was, Ed tried to think of a way to find that out as well as getting an eyeful at the same time. "Hmm...like whaaaat, Teacher...?" The blond boy wriggled a bit, trying to lean up far enough to get even the slightest lingering taste of Havoc.

Havoc deftly avoided the boy, ducking his head down to nip at the tendon behind his ear. He released Ed, using his hands to gently tug his head up and to the side.

"Guess," he murmured in a low, pleasant rumble.

Edward groaned slightly, his head following the path Havoc had set by itself, exposing more of his neck, as maybe only half-consciously he found his hands, cold metal and hot flesh alike, sliding up under the Lieutenant's shirt.

Cold fingertips of metal grazed Havoc's back, and Ed gave a frustrated whimper when he found he couldn't get the annoying scrap of fabric off of the man, whether it be from the position or the fact that he'd started having lapses in coherent thought after every few inches of skin he revealed.

Havoc purred as he felt Ed's warm and cold hands slide up his body. After losing track of his own train of coherent thought, he finally hit on what Ed wanted to do. With a quick bucking of his body, he somehow got the shirt over his head and down around his elbows.

"That what you wanted?"

Ed shifted slightly again, pulling Havoc down a bit further so that he could snatch, between his teeth no less, the dangling metal that had been hiding, along with one very fucking edible upper body, Ed noted, beneath the pesky black shirt.

There was that grin again, though marred slightly by the metal tags, it was still there. Sultry look through thick lashes, tempting look, unusually seductive for a boy his age and experience, really...

Mustang shouldn't have just had those things lying around after all...really…

"Dammit, boy," Havoc groaned. "Get those things out of your mouth so I can kiss you again..."

Without waiting for an answer, or indeed, compliance, Havoc yanked out his dog-tags and kissed Ed long, hard, and thoroughly.

Shifting again, Ed groaned into the kiss, hands tracing down Havoc's sides, automail continuing down until a cool metal thumb hooked under the waistline of standard military-issue pants, the flesh and blood hand pausing a little higher as his fingertips ran across a different texture, but one he knew all too well.

The boy thought to ask, but then thought better. Havoc was a foot soldier after all...he'd been through more than Ed had, that was for sure, things like scars were to be expected, really. Gentle fingers traced the outline of the scar delicately, slowly.

Havoc felt Ed's fingers pause at his scar. A curiously shaped scar, if Ed ever bothered to put his mind back together enough to figure it out. But doubtlessly the kid wanted to know.

"A parting gift from that insane alchemist I mentioned earlier," he murmured, licking the pulse at Ed's throat.

The blond alchemist shivered at the wet touch, despite its heat, despite how hot he was in that damn uniform to begin with, it wasn't because of the cold.

Ed grunted a response to the words afterwards, fingers still tracing the edges of the scar lightly as he tilted his head to nip at Havoc's ear, barely catching the edge with the limited range of motion he had.

"Nnngh..." His tongue flicked out to lick at Havoc's ear then, as he shifted again, automail arm moving to support him up slightly, just enough that he could lean against the side of the booth, eyes taking in the expanse of skin before him as he tried to slow his breath down a bit. Ed winced just slightly at the movement, and cursed under his breath at how tight those pants were, god it was starting to get really really uncomfortable!

"Something wrong?" Havoc teased, a distinct edge in his voice. His sapphire eyes glittered brightly in the light.

He passed a finger lightly down Ed's chest, stopping at his waistband and tugging slightly. "This, for example?"

Edward swallowed hard, failing in his attempt to keep still as he squirmed slightly, whining pathetically.

Golden eyes followed the path that Havoc's finger took, breath catching almost in sync with the light tug at the fabric.

When finally he summoned enough willpower to form words, the alchemist was almost shocked at himself, at how quiet, breathy, desperate but still hesitant his voice sounded. "Jean...I...I've never..."

Havoc's eyes radiated understanding. Kissing the boy's hand, he said softly, "I understand. If you want..." he let the sentence hang. "Just ask, and I'll do whatever you want."

A soft sigh escaped past Ed's lips, and, not even for the first time that trip, he felt a bit overdressed.

Golden orbs gazed steadily into sapphire pools, though the blond boy couldn't think of what to say, he tried to show what he felt.

_I...don't know what I want...I just know that I want you...I trust you..._

Havoc bestowed a light, tender kiss on the boy. "Not until..."

He tried to finish the sentence, he really did. But those earnest, vunlerable eyes made his heart hurt.

Golden eyes narrowed slightly at the older man. "Well?! Are you just going to leave me like this!?"

Edward had tried to word it a bit more politely, less blunt, he really did...

It just didn't come out that way...because hell...his hand was _right there_ and those damn pants were _so fucking tight_!

Havoc's eyes cleared, and he grinned wolfishly down at the boy. "Wouldn't dream of it," he purred, slowly unfastening the first button.

_Still too hot, too damn hot!_

Ed shifted a bit restlessly, quickly ridding himself of his own shirt and wriggling to get comfortable. His breath hitched suddenly as his movements caused Havoc's hand to shift just the slightest bit in the right direction, and for a moment his entire body went rigid, and then utterly limp as he stared dumbly at the older man, just one thing on his mind as he choked out a few words.

"That...wha..."

The corner of Havoc's mouth quirked into a small, slightly sad smile.

"Your wish, my command."

He began to touch and stroke Ed, lavishing kisses on bare skin.

Frowning slightly, and trying to ignore the throbbing ache between his legs, Ed scooted back into a fully upright position, pushing Havoc back a bit.

"What the hell...is wrong with you...why...why the sudden change, why the turn towards inferiority...why the..." Ed didn't even realize the look he had on his face, incredulous, worried, and at the same time angry. "It's not funny, Jean...it HURTS...!"

Havoc's head drooped. "I'm sorry Ed... it hurts for me, too, but not the way you mean." He covered his eyes with a shaking hand. "I feel... I hurt, Ed. Worse than you can ever imagine," he finally whispered, a tear squeezing out from a tightly shut sapphire eye. "I feel like my heart's been torn to shreds."

With a considerable effort, Edward coaxed the older man to roll over, and then pulled him back, hugging him as close as possible.

"I'm sorry..."

It was the only thing he could think to say to Havoc, even though it wasn't the best thing to be saying right then, as he buried his face in the crook of the man's neck, his own tears dripping onto and down the Lieutenant's chest.

"I'm so sorry...I..."

"It's not your fault," Havoc said softly, comfortingly. "I really should apologize to you – I should have known..." he trailed off, unwilling to go any further.

It might've been easier to think straight were Ed not so painfully aroused, that fact evident against the small of Havoc's back now.

Fullmetal bit back a whimper, fighting with everything he had not to move, because he knew that if he did...

Edward spoke finally with carefully controlled breaths, keeping his voice as steady as he could. "Is...that why...? You...don't have to apologize, Jean..."

He lifted his head slightly, hands tracing toned muscles slowly, his breath hot against Havoc's neck. "I wouldn't do this if I didn't want to..." Warm tongue trailed upwards, following the line of the vein. "Jean..." A tender nibble at the junction of neck and ear. "...please..."

Havoc's blue funk cleared off, and the mischevious sparkle glinted in his blue eyes. "Never mind me, I'm just an old, cranky soldier," he purred. "But I'd prefer to just stay here – much warmer and more comfortable." He reached up, his nails scratching lightly against the nape of Ed's neck. "Don't you agree?"

He wiggled back farther under the pretext of 'getting more comfortable', but nonetheless doing exactly what Ed had avoided doing not a minute beforehand.

Golden eyes rolled back slightly, a strangled groan slipping out of Ed's throat, followed by a whimper as he found himself, for the most part, unable to move, pinned back against the wall of the booth.

The feeling was pleasure just bordering on pain, and his left hand tensed, fingernails almost digging into the pale skin beneath them. He couldn't even utter a word.

The mischevious quirk broke into a fully-fledged evil grin. "Right then," Havoc said, slipping out from Ed's tightened grasp, patting his thigh. "I need to go put something away..." the rest of his sentence was muffled as he began to pull the shirt over his head.

Golden orbs widened profusely as, miraculously, Ed somehow managed to tackle Havoc before he could get the shirt on, landing the both of them on the floor between the seats, with Ed perched straddling the Lieutenant's waist as he promptly got rid of the offensive article of clothing that the man was trying to put _back on_ for Ishbara's sake! Back _ON_!

The boy leaned down, hands on Havoc's shoulders. "No.Fucking.Way...am I letting you walk out on me!" Ed hissed, dropping to smother any type of retalliation that might've been waiting to voice itself, the kiss surprisingly gentle coming from the boy that had sounded as though he would slit the man's throat just a second before.

"A wee bit desperate, are we?" Havoc rolled over, until they were in a position strangely reminescent of the platform debacle, though he doubted that it would end the same way.

He leaned over, gently nibbling at the hollow of Ed's throat.

_Nothing until he begs for it..._

"Nnngh..." Ed shifted slightly, automatically turning his head and letting it fall back to expose more of his neck, whimpering as he tried to rub up against Havoc, trying for even the slightest little bit of friction, god he needed _movement_!

"Sorry, but no," Havoc whispered into the boy's ear, nibbling delicately on the lobe. "You'll have to say the magic word..." He leaned down on Ed's middle, keeping him flat on the floor.

There was a particular type of whine that Ed was good at, and that was what he was aiming for.

Edward struggled against his confines, letting out a frustrated, pleading, pitiful whine.

"Please...dear _GOD_, please stop torturing me like that, Jean please I want you, I _NEED_ you, dammit, _Jeannnnn_!"

Try as he might, Ed still couldn't do anything more than squirm beneath the older man, tears of frustration leaking from the corners of tightly shut eyes.

_Well...I suppose that counts..._ Havoc kissed him fiercely. "You want top or bottom?"

The blond alchemist managed to wrench his automail arm free, cold, lifeless steel trailing down Havoc's side. "Any more stalling and I'll fucking kill you..." Ed hissed through his teeth, slipping his other hand free to tug the Lieutenant down by his dogtags into another kiss. One that said 'does it look like I care right now who's on top!?'

Havoc hissed as he felt cold automail touch him. Unpleasant memories threatened to swamp him, but he felt the very real boy underneath and managed to keep himself in the present.

"All right then..."

------------------------

It wasn't until the train had already stopped, and a blond ponytailed head was lifted from a certain Lieutenant's lap, human and mechanical limbs stretched sufficiently, and sleep rubbed from golden eyes, that Edward Elric finally remembered that he had been fetched here to see the Colonel again.

But this time, the young alchemist had a few tricks up his sleeve that he would most definitely have to try...

-----------------------  
_ Back in Dublith..._  
-----------------------

Izumi glared around the spotless kitchen that was missing a very important speck.

"DAMMIT!"

Izumi thundered out, yelling back over her shoulder, "Al, I'm going to Central, STAY HERE."

She ran down to the station, cursing the bean with every step and imagining horrible things to put him through.

Including reading Dante's Inferno.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	4. Practical Joke Gone Wrong: Sensei Style

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Practical Joke Gone Wrong: Sensei Style

* * *

Rating: **PG13**  
****Pairings:** Implied RoyxEd, admitted affections in the RoyxEd direction.**  
****Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA. Roy and Izumi were written by my friends, plot written by me. It's like a collaboration fic.**  
****Spoilers:** If you don't know about Ed and Al's sensei, this is spoiler material.**  
****Setting:** Roy's office, Central City.**  
****Timeline:** About a week after Ed stormed out of Roy's office.

* * *

Roy Mustang shifted the cold compress on his jaw and sighed. 

It had been a long week. All weeks were long weeks, actually, but this particular one had been... longer than usual. The absence of a certain loud-mouthed chaos-causer might have contributed to the seemingly incredible slowness with which the hours inched by, but Roy Mustang was not dwelling on that absence. No, not at all. In fact, his mind was perfectly free of thoughts of Edwa--of that nuisance.

That blond, annoying, somehow attra--uh--er, that ... nuisance.

Having left Al behind with Izumi(maybe that wasn't such a good idea, Ed...really...), Edward Elric shrugged off his escorts and kicked open the office doors, shuffling inside and otherwise trying to act morose just a bit too hard.

The truth was he was actually almost thankful to Ro--that bastard of a Colonel for busting him out of the hellish grasp that belonged to his former teacher. _Almost._

From behind his desk, Roy shifted into Glare Mode. He remained frostily silent as the Fullmetal Alchemist seated himself in front of the desk, waiting for the younger man to become sufficiently uncomfortable enough to break the silence first.

Of course, Ed wasn't going to give that satisfaction to the arrogant sonofabitch in front of him. Not at all.

Instead, he stood back up and leaned over across Roy's desk with That Grin on his face. "Soooo...didja miss me, Cooolonel?" It was mocking, it was talking down to a superior, and it was everything that he shouldn't have been doing. But he did it anyway, and hell if he didn't love every second of it and every silky little sickeningly friendly-chatter word that slipped off of his tongue.

"Sit," Roy said shortly, barely hiding the wince that talking with his stitched lip induced. "Now."

"Huuh...whyyyyy...am I _bothering_ you, _Roy_...?"

Ed could practically feel the tension in the room grow heavier with each word, and he leaned further, closer to Roy, That Grin still in place, but growing wider and more cattish with each twitch of the Colonel's features.

Roy twitched. What the hell was that bastard playing at...? "Sit."

Ed still ignored the order, instead climbing up onto Roy's desk and crawling closer, not quite uncomfortably close just yet, but close enough to feel the cold that filtered through the air from the compress on the man's cheek.

"Ooooh so you want me to play _doggie_, huh?" That grin couldn't possibly get any wider.

"I want to play sitdownrightnowbeforeIhaveyoucourtmartiled," Roy breathed, eyes blazing.

Ed scooted forward a bit more, fiery gold staring directly into fiery black as the tips of their noses touched. Gloved right hand reached up and lightly brushed unfeeling fingertips across the still swollen jaw of his superior, down just a bit to press lightly at the stitched lower lip.

"Does it hurt much?" Edward was surprised at how genuine that sounded, if he didn't know himself he'd think he really _was_ worried about the man.

"Show your contrition," Roy gritted, dark eyes glittering strangely. "Sit. Now."

"Give me a reason to and I will...and don't say you'll court-martial me because I'm pretty sure you're already having that taken care of as we speak anyway." Golden eyes had a bit of something else in them that Ed would've completely denied had he seen it there himself.

"Does it hurt much?" The blond alchemist repeated his question, still not making any move to be seated.

"No. Now sit. Because I want you to." The black haired man pulled back, away from Edward's hand.

"Liar..." Ed scooted up to the edge of the desk and leaned forward still, almost to the point of leaning dangerously far.

"I'm sorry..." That was too genuine, Ed thought...what was he doing?

"You're going to fall. Sit." Roy's annoyance started to show, his bland expression losing hold.

Almost there...

The lack of that grin now should've been a flashing light though, but Ed didn't even notice that his expression had changed, eyes softer, slightly out of focus and glazed. "Hey... Colonel...I'm _really sorry..._"

Edward reached out to touch Roy's face again, leaning to the point where it could be called dangerous without a doubt.

Roy abruptly surged up to a standing position, knocking the chair away in his haste as he stared down at the young alchemist. "What are you _doing_?"

"Eyaah!"

At Roy's abrupt motion, Ed tilted just that tiny bit more that crossed the line, and gravity had a field day.

One Fullmetal Alchemist, affected by gravity, did the one thing that his disoriented mind could think of, and grabbed on to the nearest object to keep from falling.

Said nearest object, however, just so happened to be Roy Mustang, and, also affected by gravity, this ended up with the Colonel going down too.

All in all, it painted a _very_ awkward picture were somebody to walk in on them just then. Edward Elric was looking a bit flustered and was breathing a bit quickly due to the scare, hair a bit of a disarray, laying on top of Colonel Roy Mustang, partially hidden behind his desk, with papers on said desk strewn everywhere and very much a mess.

Roy flinched as unexpected bits of anatomy settled onto various other unexpected bits of anatomy. He shoved at Edward. "Didn't I tell you you'd fall, idiot? Damn, you're heavy. Must be all that automail. Now get off."

Izumi knocked on the door, pretty sure that her scapegrace stu- er, well, _former_ student was behind there. She heard a grown man squeak something suspiciously like "...you _doing_?!" After that, she heard a boyish squeak and two bodies land heavily on the floor. She got very _very_ worried. She knocked harder and opened the door.

Gold eyes noticed the movement at the door, traveling along the floor to meet a pair of sandal-clad feet...and the bottom of a white...oh...shit...

"EEEEIIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

Making matters worse, Ed's 'Izumi-mode' had kicked in, causing him to cling to Roy for dear life, most likely far more tightly than could possibly be comfortable, as his brain was hoping that somehow he might meld with Roy and disappear if he could maybe just hide his head in Roy's jacket.

Roy suddenly found his airway constricted by a certain alchemist's vise-like grip. He choked incoherently, attempting to shove Edward off.

Admittedly, Izumi had seen a lot of really horrendous things in her life. But nothing had even come close to preparing her for seeing her student, hell, her _adoptive son_ in a position like that with _a grown man!_

It took her a few moments to get the speech portions of her brain back up online and functional but when it did, her roar nearly shattered the window.

"EDWARD ELRIC, WHAT THE _FUCK_ ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Hidemehidemehidemehidemehidemehidemehideme!!!" Ed was whimpering as he clung to Roy's clothes, wriggling like mad as what could be classified as The Most Terrified Look Ever suddenly was given to Roy, combined with the Dear God Please Save Me DO SOMETHING! look.

Black eyes glazed over momentarily as bits of Edward that Roy would really not rather be rubbed against him made prolonged contact.

"Uh," Roy said, intelligently.

Izumi stalked over, rather red in the face (embarrassment? or rage? find out next time...). Giving that scary, mad-alchemist-teacher-who's-probably-more-than-just-slightly-insane look that she was so good at, she reached down, seized the back of Ed's coat and peeled him off the Colonel.

"Edward. What. The. Hell. Were. You. Just. Doing."

"MEEEEEEEEEP!" Ed's arms were flailing, reaching out to Roy with a desperate cry for help. Words were still failing him at the moment, and suddenly his brain registered something. Something that made him go completely stock-still and stiff.

_You know...that...felt kinda nice..._

"Uh," said Roy again. He felt as if thoughts were percolating very slowly back into his brain. He groped for the edge of the desk, found it, and pulled himself up with a groan. _Damn pointy automail, digging into soft bits... Ugh..._

Deciding that having both miscreants in her firm grasp would probably be the best thing at the moment, Izumi switched Ed over into her other hand and grabbed Roy's shaggy black hair. She bent him back over so she could glare scarily into his eyes.

"AND YOU. Letting, no, _encouraging_ him like that! What the hell were you thinking!?"

"Encouraging?" Ninja housewife looked decidedly more imposing when one was staring at her upside-down, livid face, her dreadlocks trembling in rage. Roy wondered whether he'd hit his head in that last fall. The woman actually thought he was _encouraging_ Elric to...?

Ed let out a pained squeak involuntarily at seeing Izumi drag Roy into this, and something inside him made him think crazy things, like...

"Teacher it's not his fault!"

What. The. Fuck. Ed did you just cover for ROY MUSTANG?!

Well, Roy was definitely hallucinating, because he just heard Edward _squeak_ in his defense. Any second now, he'd wake up in his large, empty bed, in his large, empty house, sweating and swearing never to let Hughes wheedle him into that fourteenth beer ever again.

Izumi slowly turned her Freezing Glare of Doom on her student. "Are you saying that YOU moved on MUSTANG?" she asked in a glacially calm voice. "Not only are you suggesting that you expect me to believe this, but you're saying that YOU were encouraging HIM?"

She tightened her hold on both men, heroically resisting the urge to mash their heads together and be done with it.

Ed? You're a fucking idiot.

Swallowing hard, Ed could just manage a pitiful squeak. He nodded quickly, while something back in his head was yelling at him to deny deny deny DEFUCKINGNY!

The freakish woman was talking, but Roy's mind was occupied with replaying the past few minutes' events. With color commentary, and then some.

He resisted the urge to ask her why she was in his office. Obviously, Scary Woman had come Because She Wanted To, and she wasn't going to leave until She Wanted To.

A very small voice suggested that perhaps that idea wasn't quite manly. He stomped on the voice until it whined, pleaded for mercy, screamed bloody blue murder, then finally fell silent.

Izumi's hands tightened even further on Ed's jacket, choking him, and tightening her grip on Roy's shaggy hair, probably ripping quite a few out in the process. "Will someone explain this to me BEFORE I make you beg for mercy?"

A tiny crack in the calm voice.

Begging for mercy was becoming more and more attractive by the second. Roy cleared his throat, licked his lips. "Perhaps if you released me... ma'am?"

"Give me one good reason, pedophile. I didn't exactly see you trying to dissuade my student."

Ed choked out the first thing that came to his mind, which, surprisingly, wasn't anything to do with the situation at all, wasn't a plea for his life, and wasn't something about his height.

"_I'm...sorry...Colonel..._" Golden eyes brimmed with unshed tears, looking straight at Roy, painful, pleading, and something else, though Ed would deny ever having looked so pitiful later.

The older man closed his eyes to Edward's expression.

"Ma'am. Major Elric... fell. You arrived at an inconvenient juncture in time and jumped to conclusions. I am certainly not a pedophile. Please release me."

Thankfully, Roy's ability to bullshit wasn't affected by the useless state of his brain--must be all that military experience...

Izumi smelled a rat. A big, fat, ugly, stinking one. And she was good at noticing bullshit, especially from small, spiky alchemists and army brass. "Uh-_huh_. You just made all my garbage alarms ring, boyo. If you're going to screw him into another plane of existence, at least _ask_ first, h'm?" She wiggled his head a bit for good measure. "You're as hard as a rock, boy."

Cue incredibly stark plain shock face here.

Edward Elric probably could not turn a brighter shade of red as he was just then, his entire body going limp like a wet noodle, and by the amazing laws of _something_, seeming to take on the same consistency, as he slipped like an oily shrimp out of Izumi's grasp and to the floor in a pile of thoroughly embarrassed Ed goo.

For a minute, all Roy could do was sputter. Which was, actually, quite comical, seeing as he was sputtering upside-down.

"Ma'am--that--you--no--I--you've got it all _wrong_," he wailed uncharacteristically.

Ignoring Ed (seeing as he wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon – he was still in a moist, mumbling heap) Izumi gave Mustang the full benefit of her Look Forecasting Hell and Damnation. "What, pray tell, do I have wrong? You're obviously... ahem... and in my considerable experience, that means one thing. And you're not the pure-and-squeaky-clean-innocent type, either."

"My physical state is none of your business," Roy managed, with as much dignity as he could muster. _Not that it matters--now that the humiliation is taking effect, you've taken care of that little problem for me..._ "You have trespassed in my office for no apparent reason and physically and verbally assaulted me and my subordinate."

Izumi snorted. "Are you trying to intimidate me? It's not working very well. And I haven't _assaulted_ you yet, not by a long chalk. This is merely... enforcing a lesson."

Ed sat up, staring at Roy in disbelief.

Think about it, Edward. You were WRIGGLING.

Things like that HAPPEN because of WRIGGLING.

That does NOT mean a DAMN thing about Mustang's feelings.

Ed felt the sudden urge to scream bloody murder and get as far away from Roy as possible. FAST.

"And that lesson would be...?" The effect of Roy's coolly arched eyebrow was somewhat lessoned by... you guessed it, the fact that he was still upside-down. Damn freak-woman.

Izumi sighed. "Oh, for crying out loud. We've freaked out my student. Ed, go get some ice, while I talk to your... commanding officer."

She smiled at him. "It's perfectly normal, kiddo." She released Mustang. "We'll talk about that as soon as Ed leaves."

Ed nodded dumbly and got shakily to his feet, wandering to the small icebox at the other end of the room and getting some ice, why, he didn't know, what for, he didn't know. But he did know that his brain had kicked into 'dowhatIzumisaysandnothingbadwillhappen' mode.

Roy twitched. _"We"? All I did was act as a landing pad for that insubordinate Edwa--Elric. For that Elric boy._

And then, a touch petulantly, he thought: _It wasn't _my_ fault he was wriggling..._

Izumi spoke gently, realizing the fragile nature of her spooked student's feelings. "Now, Ed. Listen to me. Go down to the mess hall and get a jar of pickle juice. Drink it slowly. In small sips. Got that?"

Once again, Ed nodded dumbly, still with ice in hand, melting sort of, as he turned and walked in a rather zombie-esque state out of the room.

Dark brows knit together. "Pickle... juice?" Roy said, mystified.

"Yes, pickle juice. Cures everything from tummy aches, sore throats, and the sniffles to broken hearts. I learned that from my husband."

"...I see."

Obviously, the woman was insane. Escape would have to be attained even earlier than previously estimated.

"Don't even think about running, Mustang. I can keep you in one place by force, but you won't like it. And, quite frankly, neither will I."

"Why would I ever think of leaving the company of a lady so gracious and lovely?" Roy rolled his eyes in what he hoped was a charming way. The blood was starting to build up in his head--he hoped she'd lessen her grip soon...

She snorted. "Very slick. If I let you go, will you sit down in a chair and listen to me?"

"Yes. And I will also not pass out from uneven blood flow." He attempted a smile.

Izumi lifted her eyebrows. "Save it for the women, Slick. I'm married." She let him go. "Sit."

Roy sat._ Ours is not to question why..._

He looked at Izumi expectantly, eyebrows raised. "Well?"

It was just then that Edward walked back into the room, as though nothing had happened, and flopped down on one of the plush leather couches. "Oi, stupid Colonel...what's my next assignment so I can leave this place and not deal with you anymore?"

Izumi perched on Roy's desk, playing with a paperweight. "To tell you the honest truth, I couldn't care less what Ed did in his spare time. Or who, but I see that comments like that make you uncomfortable."

She transmuted the paperweight into a model of a squid.

"On second thought I'll take that to go." With a raised finger and a pointedly averted gaze, Ed promptly got to his feet, spun around, and walked right back out the door.

"You both need psychiatric help," Roy muttered, sinking lower in the chair. This was shaping up to be the most bizarre day of his life...

"Let him go. He just got a little mixed up. He likes you, he thought you liked him, now he's of the opinion that you had a purely physical reaction to him. And, understandably, he's bummed." Izumi shrugged. "I don't really expect you to care. After all, it's not your problem, is it." She transmuted the squid into a small Ed.

"...Um." Roy gazed up at her, face twisted into an expression of utter confusion.

The self-proclaimed housewife considered bouncing the paperweight off of Mustang's forehead, but decided not to. "You're very dense, you know that?"

"...No?" Roy could feel the blood rising to his face._ Ugh, Mustang, blushing. You've sunk so low in the world._

Izumi's mouth quirked in amusement at the blush rising in his face. "Fine. I'll spell it out. He likes you. He thought you liked him. Now he thinks that you had a... reaction to his movement against you. Now he's embarrassed for saving your ass from a (in my opinion) well-deserved beating."

Roy licked his lips. "He... shouldn't be. I didn't... It wasn't my intention to embarrass him. And it really was an accident."

"I don't doubt that. The scrapes he gets into are appalling in their size and scope. This probably stemmed from some juvenile trick. But what I want to know is your feelings for him."

Dark eyes cut to the left. "Immaterial," Roy muttered, "As even if attraction theoretically exists, it will never be acted upon."

Izumi poked Mustang in the chest with a finger. "Cut the crap, kiddo. Do you like him or not."

Roy sighed and resigned himself to the fact that he would never again have dignity, ever. "Yes. I do. But he's very young, and very not right for me, and very my subordinate."

The female alchemist settled back, regarding the Colonel thoughtfully. "Well, I can understand the too young. Subordinate can pose a problem, but you can be discreet. Why is he 'very not right'?"

"He needs... someone... understanding." Roy shifted under Izumi's gaze. To have something other than a glare directed at him by that woman was unnerving. "Someone who can take time out for him. Someone less... busy, ambitious."

Izumi's eyebrows twitched up. "What makes you think he's any less driven than you are? He hasn't given himself a break since his mother died. He's been running full tilt since the failed human transmutation. He's been through hell and back." She deposited the small Ed paperweight into his lap.

"Which is precisely why he needs someone to care for him," Roy answered. He ran a finger along one of the paperweight's smooth ridges absently, tracing the tiny face.

"He has Al. He has us. He has Pinako and Winry." The alchemy teacher ran a hand through her dreadlocks. "Any more 'care', and he'd go nuts."

Roy half-smiled. "You remain unconvincing. I mean--just because you _can_ doesn't mean you _should_."

"Oh, get off your high horse," Izumi said irritably. "You care for him, right?"

"Right," he said, smiling oddly into the middle distance.

Izumi rubbed her forehead. "Now I know why he was always venting about you. It's like talking to a brick wall." She hopped down from the desk.

"A brick wall usually doesn't whine," Roy pointed out, watching her warily.

The woman smiled wryly. "True. But think from Edward's view for a second. Selfishly, if you will."

Roy made no reply, just looked down at the small figurine that he was still absently holding. He set it carefully down on his desk.

What an unfamiliar position. For once, he was the one on the chair being interrogated.

"Well? In instances like this, holding out is the worst possible thing. Either tell him and tell him to forget, or tell him and teach him."

"Thanks for the advice," Roy said, gazing up at this vessel of entirely-too-sudden mood swings. "I'll keep it in mind. Weren't you here for something originally...?"

"M'hm. I came here to request a leave for Edward. He's under a great deal of stress. I'd like him to come back to Dublith so we can go over some bits of alchemy that I've dug up.

"It would be a nice change for the boy."

One Izumi Curtis watched Mustang carefully, wary for any hints of antagonism.

"Fine," Roy acquiesced, waving a hand. "Consider it done. Take him and go. You can have your alchemy, bonding, whichever time; I can mull over what you said. Everyone is happy. Now, please, get him out of Central before I kill either him, you, or myself."

Izumi grinned. "Oho. Losing your composure so soon? I'm disappointed.

"Anyway, thank you. I would bow, but I usually start coughing up blood, and I don't want to do that on your upholstery." She bobbed her head politely. Turning for the door, she paused briefly. "We're having a potluck dinner on Wednesday, if you'd like to drop by for a night."

She was gone.

Roy pinched the bridge of his nose. He had a massive headache.

After a while, he rose as well, and, leaving the massive piles of unsigned papers untouched on his desk, quietly left the room.

He was going home, to think, and sleep, and plan.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	5. Not Exactly a Getaway

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Not Exactly a Getaway**

**

* * *

**

**Rating: **PG13  
**Pairings: **EdxAl  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA. Al and Izumi were written by my friends, plot written by me. It's like a collaboration fic.  
**Spoilers: **If you don't know about Ed and Al's sensei...  
**Setting: **Dublith.  
**Timeline: **The month of Ed's leave.

* * *

Ed clutched at the stitch in his side, wondering just what the hell was going through his mind when he agreed to submit himself to this torture. _Oh, right...you weren't thinking, Ed! Because you had the stupid idea to go and try to seduce the Colonel, and then you freaked when he actually RESPONDED to you! _

"Five more minutes! AND IF YOU DON'T FINISH THOSE LAPS YOU'RE SCRUBBING THE COMMUNITY TOILETS FOR A WEEK!" Ed cringed as Izumi's voice boomed through the streets. He still couldn't figure out what he did _this _time!

But really, he couldn't decide whether this was better or worse than the month spent on that island...

"QUIT DAWDLING AND GET MOVING!"

Oh...at least Izumi wasn't on the island...

-----------

Grudgingly, Ed opened his eyes and sat up. Only after losing his fight with the sunlight that kept finding its way behind his eyelids no matter which way he turned. "Nngh...dammit...Al...what time is it..."

Blinking, the braided alchemist looked around, seeing that his brother was nowhere in sight. "Al! Hey! Where are you!" There was the thud of automail hitting hardwood and Ed stretched, making his way downstairs.

Alphonse had been in the kitchen preparing breakfast for his older brother, and looked up when he heard the muffled thud of automail hitting hardwood flooring. "Brother! I'm in the kitchen!" he called up to Ed, gaining a noncommital reply, and smiled softly._ I hope he likes it! _

Rubbing sleep from his eyes, Ed stepped into the kitchen, pulling out a chair to flop down into with a yawn. "Good thing Teacher's not the one cooking, I wish she'd understand that not all of us have an iron stomach, huh?" He grinned lazily. "Sleep well?"

Al giggled softly, "She just wants everyone to be healthy...I think..." Al shrugged and put the plateful of bacon, eggs and pancakes on the table. Taking a seat across from his brother, he smiled, "I slept alright, brother, how about you?"

"Better than on the train ride here!" The braided boy helped himself to the food, not bothering to get himself a plate as he satisfied the pit that was his stomach.

Al smiled softly, watching his brother inhale the food that he'd worked so hard on. He then glanced at the clock, realizing he'd been slaving over the stove for almost three hours. He sweatdropped slightly at that.

Ed paused mid-chew, brow furrowing slightly. He'd been reflecting on his old missions and then...where did they go before that again? He blinked, looking across the table at Al and then at the plate that was already more than half empty. Swallowing his food he grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Eeehh...sorry about that..."

Al blinked, then smiled, "That's alright, Nii-san, I made it all for you. I already ate," the younger sibling smiled gently, remembering the long three hours he'd spent to make the breakfast just perfect for Edward.

Nibbling on a strip of bacon, Ed tilted his head. "You sure?"

"Yes! It's fine." Al smiled innocently, really not minding at all, after all, he did actually eat a bit while cooking.

Ed stretched and yawned again, pushing the nearly empty plate across to Al. "Go ahead, I'm good to go," he said with a grin. "Where's Teacher anyway? I feel like I should be scared that she's not right behind me about to hit me over the head with a frying pan!"

The braided boy mimicked being throttled for a second, then attempted to loom like their teacher. "Good for nothing tater tot! That'll be three weeks scrubbing the floor of the butchery for your laziness, and be up at the crack of dawn or you're eating _MY_ cooking the entire time you're here!" He slid back in the chair, shuddering slightly.

Izumi padded silently up behind Ed, motioning for the rather stricken Al to stay silent. She _Loomed_ over Ed. "What was that about my cooking?"

The edge of the table suddenly snapped under pressure as Ed gripped it just a little too hard with his automail hand, contemplating crawling under the table and climbing into Al's shirt to hide.

Izumi put a hand on Ed's shoulder and leaned down. "What's wrong?" she asked in a too-sweet voice.

At the touch, Ed squirmed under the table, promptly attempting to lodge himself between the fabric of Al's shirt and his chest.

Al blushed brightly, trying to get his older brother out of his shirt. "Nii-san! Get out of there! Your automail is cooold!" Al whined.

Izumi deftly grabbed an apple and lobbed it at the lump where she knew Ed's head was. "Edward Elric, please come here," she said in a deceptively gentle voice.

Ed shook his head vigorously, only really succeeding in wriggling around more. Only to come face to face with something he really shouldn't have been paying attention to at that time. Really. He then just shook his head more vigorously, trying to clear his mind of an onslaught of inappropriate images._ Damn you teenage hormones! _

Al gulped, fearing for Ed's life.

"Edward..." Izumi's voice _could_ have been classified as a growl, but there was something a bit nastier in it. "Get your worthless tater-tot ass over here _now_."

"Feelsaferoverherethanks!" Ed made a point for Al to help him by biting just under his ribcage.

"Ow," Al winced softly, wrapping his arms around Ed. "Teacher, please don't be so harsh to Edward..." That was followed by the saddest little puppy dog pout ever in the history of Amestris.

Unmoved, Izumi glared at the younger Elric brother. "Al..." she said warningly. Her eyes took on the certain manic glint that usually ended up with one or both of the brothers slammed into a tree.

Ed wondered momentarily in a complete lapse of sane thought if molesting his brother would get Izumi to go away.

In same complete lapse of sane thought, the older Elric soothed the bite marks with his tongue, slipping one hand past the waistband of Al's pajama bottoms.

The younger Elric sighed softly and lifted his shirt, letting Ed roll out. "Sorry, brother..." Al stood and started washing dishes.

Izumi quirked an eyebrow at the flush on Ed's face. "What were you doing, Ed?"

The blond addressed simply sat there, pupils half dilated. "Er...uh..." Ed shook his head, scrambling across the kitchen to cling to Al's leg, absently licking his human fingers and pointedly trying to avoid Izumi's gaze. Al on the other hand, didn't seem to be phased by said latching.

Izumi had an unabashedly creepy feeling wind through her stomach. She felt vaguely disturbed at the whole attitude Ed was displaying, and the slightly perverse rammifications that it indicated.

"Ed," she said, quite calmly and clearly, the threat in her voice almost visible. "Get. Over. Here. _Now_."

Alphonse winced slightly, even though the threat was not directed at him, he quickly dried the last plate and attempted to pry Ed off him.

Ed reached up with one hand, snatching Al's wrist and pulling him down to the floor. Pulling the younger into an embrace, Edward rested his chin on Al's shoulder, mumbling something Izumi couldn't hear into the boy's ear. "_I'm pretty sure you know what would have happened next if she hadn't shown up, right, Al?_"

Izumi's eyes widened impossibly, and an outraged shriek echoed through the enclosed space.

"_ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!_"

Edward cringed visibly, tightening his grip around his brother's waist. "_A-Al..._"

Alphonse blushed brightly at his brother's whisper. "Brother..." He then winced as Izumi screamed, tears welling up in his eyes. His ears still weren't used to such loud sounds yet. He sniffled softly, "Teacher...Too loud..."

Now in her 'enraged sensei from hell' mode, Izumi didn't give a damn for the tender ears of an under-aged pipsqueak of an alchemist. She marched over to where the two brothers huddled, seizing Ed by the scruff of his neck. Pulling him up, she gave Ed the full benefit of her angriest, most insane glare. "_You_," she hissed. "Are going to be doing suicides through Dublith. At a full sprint. Timed. Got that?"

Ed's gaze was cast downwards still as he gulped. "T-tomorrow, m-maybe..?"

Al frowned softly, staring down at the floor, hugging his knees, sniffling softly.

"No. You'll be running it now. Get out there. You have five minutes for three sprints." She pointed at Al. "You're going to help me organize my research papers." Snapping her glare over Ed, she snarled, "Move it!"

"T-teacher...I...I c-can't...n-now..." Ed was currently going through several different shades of red.

In a meek whimper, Al responsed, "Yes, teacher..." He stood and walked to Sensei, waiting for her to lead the way.

Izumi ignored Al for the time being, though she did put a comforting hand on his shouder. "Your five minutes are running out!" she snapped at Ed. "I suggest you hurry."

Ed took two steps before collapsing against Al, clutching the younger boy's shoulders for support against the sudden dizzying feeling that shot up from his stomach and went straight to his head. "C-can't..."

Al held his brother close, slightly worried at this point, "Nii-san, what's wrong?"

Izumi tapped her foot. "Well?"

Ed growled slightly against Al's shoulder. "_A-A-l..._" he managaed through gritted teeth, hissed in Al's ear. "_Bed...n-now..._" Ed shifted his weight slightly to make his point _perfectly clear_ against Al's leg.

Al blushed brightly, "Teacher, I think brother has a fever, I better go tend to him. You know if he has a fever, then his automail won't work properly!" The young Elric quickly began to drag Ed upstairs.

"You guys are terrible liars," Izumi said, arms folded. "But, since Ed has this... 'fever', he's not doing anything today, or eating anything exept soup." An evil glint came into her eyes – the soup she made was hardly anything more than salty water that chicken bones had been boiled in, with a few bitter greens thrown in. It tasted horrible and both of the boys hated it. "Al, put your brother to bed, then get down here to help me organize. Another alchemist needs my help, and she needs those documents pretty badly."

Edward allowed himself to be dragged, although the half-lidded look on his face had to amount to something.

"Sensei, I wouldn't want to get in the way of your work, plus I'm really worried about Brother. I've always been there when he gets sick and I don't want to start now ignoring his health." Al smiled softly, dragging Ed out of the room.

"Liar,"Izumi muttered.

------------------

The next day, Edward _was_ up at the crack of dawn. Running twice as many sprints. Dreading his return to the house and the inevitable helping of Izumi's cooking that would await him.

He really couldn't figure out for the life of him why he'd agreed to this...

_

* * *

_

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n;


	6. Picking up the Pieces

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Picking up the Pieces

* * *

**

**Rating: **R  
**Pairings: **RoyxEd  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.Roy was written by my friend, plot written by me. It's like a collaboration fic.  
**Spoilers: **None really.  
**Setting: **Roy's office, Central City.  
**Timeline: **Ed's return after leave.

* * *

The boy on the floor in the midst of a wrecked office whimpered in his sleep and rolled over, crying out in pain as the corner of a broken table pushed against the burnt flesh on his stomach, but he didn't wake. 

Quiet footsteps moving down a hallway. A rattling noise of keys; a faint moue of surprise as the door pushed open at a touch. Creak of hinges.

A swift gasp.

Roy took stock. One ruined office, check. One rising temper, check.

One sleeping National Alchemist... check?

Moving around the rubbish, Colonel Roy Mustang approached the sleeping boy and prodded gently at his shoulder, carefully avoiding the evident... burns? "Major Elric," he said, congratulating himself for keeping a (mostly) calm tone. "Do wake up and explain yourself, because I am looking forward to what you have to say."

The blond's touseled bangs at the moment hid his face, but at the nudging he rolled over onto his back, grimacing. His face was flushed and he appeared pained, hair clinging to his skin due to the layer of cold sweat that had condensed there. A thin line of burgandy crust marked the corner of his mouth to his chin, and on the carpet where his head had been situated before, a dark red, almost black now, spot confirmed that it was indeed blood. Edward still didn't wake, despite whimpering slightly in pain.

"Oh," Roy breathed, and for a moment didn't think about anything at all.

He looked around. The office furniture was more or less intact, but the rug was a total loss. Papers and debris had blown about wildly, and one window had a fine webbing of cracks radiating from its center, brilliant light streaming through the flaws and pooling on the office floor.

Roy looked from the sleeping boy to the wreckage. On one hand, Edward Elric, hair plastered to his face with what was most certainly dried sweat and blood; on the other hand, his completely ruined office, most furnishings of which would need to be replaced--Financing Department in Central will have a fit, he thought with a mental groan.

Boy. Wreckage. Boy. Wreckage.

With a sigh and a feeling of surrender--one that had become all too familiar since Roy had first met Edward and Elric, nothing but lost, damaged boys missing their mother, boys with a terrible talent that could slay hundreds with a single gesture--Roy began to tidy up._ I'll ask about it later_, he reasoned with himself... _After he wakes up_.

Edward's entire body tensed suddenly, the sudden straightening of limbs in a harsh movement kicking the nearby leg of an intact table. Well, at least it was intact before he kicked it. So was that vase. Oh well. Aside from the breakage of even MORE of the Colonel's office furniture and decorations, this sudden movement had caused an obvious jolt of pain that roused the older Elric from a restless, feverish sleep. Golden eyes flew open, unfocused and yet wide awake and aware of only the happenings that flew through his head in recap mode, and within seconds of awakening there was one word on the tip of his tongue that ended up as a scream. "Colonel-AAGH!" As he was violently interrupted by the searing pain in his chest, his body jolting up to a sitting position only to cause an almost instantaneous dizziness in the same moment that he felt the urge to puke and coughed up blood, tears leaking from his eyes at the pain as he was jerked forward in that violent cough.

His stomach muscles seared with hot pain and it clouded his vision, his breaths raspy after the rude awakening. And he just sat there, hunched forward, in pain, ears ringing.

Roy was instantly at Edward's side, firm hands pushing him down back into a reclining position. "Idiot!" he hissed. "Stay still!" Efficiently he ripped Edward's tattered shirt down the center, exposing his wounds.

Roy sucked in a breath at the ugly sight; he hadn't realized the extent of the damage. Swiftly he stood, crossing the room and rummaging in an almost-undamaged cabinet until he found the first aid kit.

He returned to Edward's side and knelt, extracting ointment, gauze, surgical tape, and scissors from the kit. "Idiot," he murmured as his hands worked on autopilot, measuring out lengths of the bandaging. "Who did this to you?"

"When did...you get here...anyway..." Edward hadn't planned on showing weakness in front of that bastard...what the hell was wrong with him even his thoughts were only half-assedly insulting Roy...He shivered, not from cold, but from the sick feeling.

"A few minutes ago." Roy smoothed ointment on a particularly nasty burn on the side of Edward's stomach with the lightest touch, fingers sliding from the top of Edward's hip to the edge of his ribs. "Answer the question." He cut a length of gauze off the roll and taped it carefully onto the wound before moving on to the next burn.

Ed couldn't help but shiver and tense slightly under Roy's touch, why, he didn't know. "I...don't know..." He cringed at the application of bandages, and for a moment thanked whatever out there would listen to him that his face was already flushed so that his face didn't betray these confusing things he kept feeling.

The older man paused for a moment and looked up at Edward, dark eyes unreadable, as he absentmindedly covered an ugly, puckered ridge of tissue bisecting Ed's side with clean cotton. "You can't remember?" He frowned. "Take the shirt off. I need to see to your back."

The blond grimaced, sitting up was a painstaking process that took a minute or so. Breathing heavily Ed took hold of the fabric of his shirt with the automail arm, hissing through clenched teeth as he just ripped what was left of it off, causing just a few seconds of discomfort as the fabric brushed against uncovered wounds. "I've never seen them before...I don't know who they were..." He still felt sick.

The Colonol shoved Ed gently back down on his stomach, leaving his back exposed. "Hm." Roy spread more ointment over Ed's shoulders, rubbing gentle circles with his thumbs. "Could you recognize them again if you saw them?" He taped a fresh swathe of gauze over the wounds.

Roy frowned again. "You have some kind of laceration on your hip. Roll onto your side."

Once more Edward was glad that his face was flushed, also glad that the Colonol couldn't see his face for that matter, as, wincing, he did as told. Why was it those hands on his back sent shivers down his spine? "Probably..."

Roy ran a finger gently down what looked like a long scratch that started on the flat plane of Edward's stomach, curving slightly inward over the bones of his hip and disappearing into the waistband of his pants. He pulled the fabric down slightly, not quite far enough for indecency, inspecting the wound.

At the soft sound of Edward shifting he looked up at the boy's face and suddenly flushed, realizing that he was close enough for his breath to cast warm over Edward's stomach. Roy's dark eyes glittered as he hastily jerked back and began applying ointment to the gash with slightly trembling fingers.

Despite being dead set on not looking at Roy at all through this ordeal, a pause as long as that and the way the older man's fingers faltered, the feeling of his breath warm against his skin and goddamnit all the _location_ was enough to have Ed wishing he wore looser pants. Wait. Rewind. WHAT?!

Roy tried (and failed) not to think about the fact that Edward Elric was currently reclining on his couch half-naked. His thumb abruptly stopped rubbing its absent circles on Edward's hip as he came back to himself and realized that Something Perfectly Natural was currently happening to him (oh can't think about the boy that way, he's vulnerable, Mustang, it would be irresponsible not to mention illogical)--

--And, judging from the state of Edward's trousers, to Edward.

Oh dear.

Roy Mustang, veteran of one of the most horrible wars history has known, murderer of hundreds, hardened soldier, flushed a brilliant shade of crimson as he raised his eyes to Edward's, fingers still lightly brushing the other man's hip.

Now that was different...not to mention slightly disturbing... Edward finally gave in to curiosity and slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder, freezing as he saw the look on the Colonol's face...

Mental slap, Ed, this is just a dream. Has to be. No, a nightmare, where else would you be attracted to ROY MUSTANG?! Shit...it hurt too much to be dream...Well there went that excuse, now what, Fullmetal?

But he couldn't move, well, his mind was shouting for him to run like hell and never look back, but his body was doing a damn good job of ignoring it. He saw a flicker of something in deep pools of ebony, god they were beautiful, and the way--

NO. NOIDIDNOTJUSTTHINKABOUTHIMTHATWAYNO. OHMYGODIDID.

And all the while the little voice inside his head was planning suicide. _What the hell is happening to me!?_

Roy felt as if he was falling, inevitably, faster, the world he knew blurring away from him in a rush of speed and vertigo.

He leaned forward and rested his face against the side of Edward's hip, a small rough noise low in his throat, hand tightening on the cloth of Edward's waistband.

The blond felt the heat rising to his face and was vaguely aware he must look like a tomato by now, well, a tomato with yellow on top. "C-Colonel w-what in th-the h-hell are y-you d-d-doing!?"

Roy glanced up at Edward, dark hair falling across his face. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked, forcing the words through the rapidly rising haze of desire. His hands were sliding up Edward's body of their own accord.

Edward smelled of warm skin and the mint of the liniment, underlaid with sweat. It was making it hard to concentrate.

The all-too-flustered alchemist swallowed the lump that had been rising in his throat. "W-wha...C-Colo...n-n-el...?!" His voice was breathy, stuttering, gasping, faltering words seemed to retreat from the tip of his tongue and down the back of his throat, as though trying to choke him with their existance. "Y-you...t-t-touching...I-I-I...y-you... "

What in the hell was going on here? He couldn't make sense of it, this rushing feeling, dizziness, was it the heat? Wait, where did the heat come from?!

He couldn't even put together a string of words to make a sentence, mumbling and nonsense the only thing out of his mouth, and then nothing at all, just lips moving and no sound but a confused and slightly frightened squeak. And then...

_"Don't stop..."_

Was that really his voice? God did he just say that? Like THAT? It sounded to his ears like he..._wanted_...like that was _begging_...why...but for some reason he couldn't seem to convince himself that any of this was really wrong.

He froze. Roy inhaled, exhaled. He leaned in, pressing his lips to Edward's hip, then pulled himself up to lie next to Edward.

Roy reached out and touched Edward's face, very lightly, dark eyes almost lost.

Ed shivered slightly at the touch, gulping again and meeting the Colonel's gaze. "C...c-Colonel..."

"Roy," he corrected absently, propped up on one elbow. "And you're... Edward." He tasted the name like a new flavor, exotic yet reminiscent of home.

"Edward." On impulse, he brushed a strand of golden hair back and bent down. Ed's lips tasted faintly of blood.

Golden eyes widened in shock for a moment and then a secondary program kicked in. Grinning on the inside, Ed leaned closer so that his lips were right next to Roy's ear, and whispered breathily. "Don't you like it when I call you Colonel?" He slid his arms around Roy's neck and curled one leg up to hook around Roy's waist, pressing his body up against the older alchemist. "_Don't you...Coooloneel..._" Damn was it hard to keep a steady voice through that kind of contact, Ed noted to himself.

He also noted the way that last part came out without him even planning on it, in a dizzy reaction to his own bold movement.

Roy hissed in a breath, hips rocking forward of their own volition. He threaded cool fingers through Edward's hair, one hand sliding up his chest to tilt the boy's chin up. Roy bit his neck not-so-gently, as he had no words to respond with, he answered in actions...

The young boy stiffled a moan at Roy's ear, followed by a jagged gasping and a shiver as those fingers trailed up bare skin to alter the angle of his head. "_ColoneAAH!_" The word melted into a cry of pain, still fervently laced with desire, as the blond tensed, flesh hand clutching tightly at the Colonol's shirt, while metal fingers had begun to tear the fabric, trembling, involuntarily pressing his body even harder against the older man.

The dark haired Colonol framed Edward's face with his hands. "Shhhhh," Roy soothed, calm words at odds with his trembling lips. "It's alright..." His hands trailed down, caressing the angle of Edward's jaw, smoothing his hair back from his neck, brushing against bare chest, and lower...

The blond shivered again, moving a bit so that his lips brushed against Roy's neck, his head tilted more and Edward caught the older alchemist's earlobe gently between his teeth and nibbled, purring at the Colonel's light touch.

Roy gasped, arching against him, nails digging into the closest available object--warm flesh. Heat, and a dizzy spinning, and oh. Very close now. His eyes fell into thin shining slits, mouth open.

Ed's left hand moved down Roy's arm, clutching desperately at the fabric, mouth opening to emit a small gasp as he felt nails digging into his skin. A thin trail of saliva stretched for only a moment between the Colonol's ear and the tip of Edward's tongue, his throat dry despite wetness of lips and tongue. "Colonel... I've never...done anything...like...this before..." he lied, but what was a little white lie? His voice was a bit shaky, nervous, but not afraid. But damn, did he wish he wore looser pants!

"I am not exactly... familiar with this type of... situation either," Roy muttered. He relaxed his hands with an effort, moving them down Edward's stomach until they grasped his waistband lightly, tugging at it. "Shall I do the honors?"

Ed swallowed hard, wriggling a bit to push his boots off without the use of his hands and without moving too much. He let out a yelp of pain when, in his little fit of wriggling, gravity took its rightful place and, still clutching Roy's arm and shoulder, he managed somehow to end up falling off the couch, pulling Roy with him. Edward's face flushed furiously at how he'd ended up pulling the Colonol down on top of him. It was a rather compromising position to say the least.

Roy made a sort of "oof" noise, eyes wide; then his shocked expression dissolved into shaking laughter. His mirth faded as he realized the advantages of their current respective positions. Shifting, he smiled down at Edward. "I hope you're quite--ahh--quite comfortable, because I'm liking being"--his breath caught as the boy moved under him--"being on top..."

Ed blinked a few times and nodded dumbly for a second, trying to keep an otherwise straight face. "Y-yea_AH _Colonel..." He could feel the Colonol's chest rise and fall when he breathed, or rather the pressure that was applied and then released, and all that moving around wasn't helping him keep his voice in check.

"Are you having trouble breathing?" Roy asked innocently, bastard that he was. "Perhaps you need some mouth-to-mouth." He bent and kissed Edward, tongue slipping into the other boy's hot mouth.

Edward released a moan into the kiss, tongue eagerly engaging Roy's in arousing play. One hand moved to thread human fingers through raven locks, the other roaming down to the small of the older man's back, pulling, at the same time as he arched against the body above him.

Roy shuddered as he allowed himself to be pulled down, stifling a moan at that long-desired contact. His hips seemed to surge back of their own volition, needing to move, needing to _feel..._

There was a shiver that ran down the length of Edward's spine, as he collapsed the short distance back to the floor, squirming slightly as both hands moved to Roy's shoulders, pushing down, the only thought running through his head at the moment was that everything, all this cloth was too _restraining_ it was _suffocating_ and he needed it _off_...**now.**

Responding to the other man's unspoken wishes, Roy flicked open Edward's buttons, a soft _zwip_ of fabric rubbing against fabric.

There was a sharp gasp and Ed's automail fingers carved at the exposed wood of the floor, golden eyes stared openly at Roy, helplessly, but at the same time begging, pleading, _needing._ As if to affirm the look in those golden eyes, flushed pink lips parted to speak. "_Colonel...please...Coloneeel..._"

Hair falling into his eyes, Roy kissed Edward's neck, working his way down... Here the slant of a collarbone, here the peak of a nipple, Edward's flat stomach tasting of salt, and lower...

Ed shuddered, head tilting back as his eyes closed, back arching against the sensation of warm lips and tongue as hands clawed for purchase on either wood or carpet, lower body practically squirming beneath Roy's warmth. Strangled moans parted from deep in his throat each time Roy found a particularly sensitive area, and his body would relax and stiffen suddenly again, fingers constantly flexing in an attempt to release some of that intense hoard of pent up energy.

Roy's hands had somehow moved of their own volition, one splayed in the small of Edward's back, another pressing into his hip. Edward's skin tasted dark, richer than normal... The flavors rolled around in his mouth, warm and damp.

Edward's left hand moved from the ruined carpet, fingers becoming entwined once more in the Colonol's dark hair, nudging against his head with not entirely subtle suggestion. He didn't even hear his own voice when the words, barely audible, slipped from flushed lips. They sounded distant.

"_Colonel...please...take me..._"

Roy obliged.

Interesting how skin could take on a hardened quality, yet still be velvet-soft. Interesting how completely Edward filled his mouth. Roy grazed his teeth lightly along the edge of the skin, eliciting moans.

Ed's breath caught in his throat as a dizzying sensation flooded through him. Hips thrust against that searing heat without warning, and his brain vaguely registered a gagging sound from Roy, but god the _tightening_! The _hot_ and the _wet_, Ed's mind was spinning, moans slipping free more and more frequently, louder each time he felt the light scraping of teeth, and despite his attempts to keep from choking Roy it was so damn _hard_ not to _move_ with it, _against_ it.

The older man made a small noise as Edward moved against him, shifting his focus, tongue rolling over the tip, wanting to hear those sounds from Edward, triumphant in the knowledge that he, Roy, was coaxing them...

"_Nnnhh..._" Edward bit his lip until he could taste the metallic tinge of blood seeping into his mouth, automail scraping against the wood floor and splintering it as he moaned Roy's name, practically squirming at the subtlety, it was _torture_ but it was _really fucking good_ torture!

Roy released Edward's flesh with one final light bite, and moved up his body again, shoving his hair out of his face as he looked down at Edward's face. "Edward..." His shirt was still on, Roy realized, if slightly battered from Ed's automail. He tugged at it impatiently.

Ed was panting, in much the same state as he had been when Roy had first walked into the office, though now he was sweaty and flushed for a different reason. Golden eyes looked up to meet black and he whispered, "_Why...the fuck...did you stop...damnit..._" Alright, that came out a little harsher than he'd meant for it to.

The Colonel laughed and kissed Edward, knowing that the other man could taste himself in Roy's mouth, then divested himself of his shirt. Hands on his waistband, Roy paused and looked to Edward for approval.

Edward gave his commanding officer a very obvious 'I-don't-care-what-the-fuck-you-do-just-HURRY-UP' look, before indulging himself in the sight that was Roy's bare chest.

Roy rolled his eyes and slipped out of his pants, seemingly entirely at ease with his nakedness. He stretched like a leopard, enjoying the feel of Edward's eyes on him, watching the hard play of his muscles. Roy quirked an eye at Edward, knowing that he was driving the other man crazy, daring him to do something about it.

Hungry golden eyes took in every flawless inch of milky white skin, fantasies playing out in his head that nearly made him explode. The blond noticed Roy's eyes on him, watching as he watched him, taking it all in. He was faintly aware that his mouth hung open slightly, drool starting to run down his chin, but he made no move to wipe it away. Edward could only stare and want and be tortured to the point of snapping, but he couldn't even move.

Roy made a humming noise to himself, as if to say, "Hmmmmmm, wonderful weather we're having, isn't it..." He smirked at Edward's poleaxed expression, reaching behind the other boy's head and untying his hair with a flick of his wrist, letting the golden locks tumble down.

Almost instantly a thought struck him and he reacted, left hand reaching up and snatching Roy's wrist, not letting go as Ed stared into Roy's eyes. The message seemed to not even need to be spoken. His eyes said 'Not on the floor...'

Roy's eyes flicked to the massive desk and back to Ed, a wicked grin crossing his face. He quirked an eyebrow at Edward.

Ed's eyes followed where Roy had looked, and then back to Roy's eyes. He nodded. That would do.

On a whim Roy kissed Edward's forehead before leading him over to the desk, smoothing Edward's hair back, the tawny strands cool under his fingers.

Completely forgetting that his pants were pulled down to his knees, Ed stumbled and lost his balance, tripping to land, a lot harder than intended, stomach down on the afforementioned desk. Fuck that hurt. Knocked the wind out of him too, and he clung to the desk just to keep himself from sliding to the ground. He coughed, and noticed red on the desk in front of him, reminding him that he was, in fact, injured.

"Ah!" Roy bent down to Edward, examining the damage. "Are you alright? What hurts?" He clinically tugged off the cumbersome pants and checked Edward's bandages to see if something'd come undone, brows drawn into a deep vee.

"F-f-f-f-fine..." Ed managed to blurt out, pulling himself up onto the desk only to sprawl out, trying to catch his breath again.

"Are you sure?" Roy said, looking up at Edward through a fall of dark hair, suddenly aware that one hand was hovering just above Ed's shoulder, the other splayed across Edward's stomach, that Edward was blushing a particularly attractive debauched shade, and of the crucial point that both of them were completely naked... He tried in vain to catch his breath, but it sped up of its own volition.

"_Cooooloneeeeel..._" If that temptingly seductive note didn't assure that he was perfectly fine, he didn't know what would. But just to play the part, he put up the helpless act. "_Cooloneel_...maybe I don't feel so well...it's just _soooo hoooooot..._" Edward stretched, arching his back off the desk. "_Nnnnnhh..._" He twisted slightly, back still off the desk and then back down again, head tilted to the side with eyes closed. He could play the temptation too, after all.

Roy swallowed convulsively. His hand trailed down Ed's body as Ed stretched away, stroking slowly. He leaned forward and lightly bit the curve of Edward's hip.

"_Coooooloneeeeeeeel..._" Taunting. Ed was taunting him. Daring him to take just what he wanted, because damn if the man wasn't taking long enough as it was.

Amused at Edward's impatience, Roy shifted his mouth, resting his elbows on the desk, hands once again pressed into the small of Edward's back... The older man took Edward in again, wanting to give him the satisfaction that had been denied, wanting to hear him whimper again.

And whimper Ed did, among other things, like moaning, panting, trying like hell to curse Roy for drawing this out so long and failing miserably as his words came out in more little pleasure sounds rather than steamed insults.

The dark haired man would've laughed, but don't people always say that it's bad manners to laugh with your mouth full? Roy moved faster, one hand reaching down to caress himself compulsively, moving in rhythm.

Ed bit his lip again to keep from screaming in pure ecstasy, strangled moans filtering up out of him, as he propped himself up just slightly with his automail arm, human hand tangling fingers in damp black, guiding subconsciously as he let his head hang back, jaw slack and breaths heavy and quick.

Edward felt like his entire body was on fire, and he would explode if this went on any longer, he was almost sure of it.

"_Rooooiiiitthththinnnnhhaaah...!_"

The addressed man rolled his eyes up to see Edward's face, releasing his grip to breathe gently across Edward's skin, then licking gently around the underside, the tip, salt on his tongue, almost bitter... He could feel how close Edward was, how close he himself was. Roy made a small, desperate noise.

"_Nnnnnnnnnhhhh...RoynnAAH!! _" Ed's back arched swiftly off of the desk, entire body tensing, the hand in Roy's hair suddenly gripping uncomfortably tight, pulling, but only for a matter of moments before his entire body went slack again, back hitting the desk with a loud thud, body trembling and breath irregular but slowly calming down. Golden eyes were closed and golden locks spilled in an ornate mess about his head, some strands clinging to damp skin of neck and face.

Roy tensed as his own release came to him, panting as he lifted his head and flung it back, thigh muscles spasming.

He relaxed and swallowed, black eyes slitting open, tongue darting out to lick his glistening lips.

"Not used to these kinds of things my ass..." Ed huffed once he'd gotten his breath back, not even bothering to move from where he was. "Get up here damnit I can't see you..."

The older man moved up to the desk, for once too spent to have a witty response, and reclined next to Edward. Roy sighed.

"Roy..." Edward reached out to brush damp black locks out of the Colonel's face, and sighed. "This...was going to be the last report I turned in to you..." The words were heavy as if lined with pure lead, and barely audible because he could barely bring himself to say them. Tears welling in golden eyes as his fingers gently traced the contours of Roy's face.

Dark brows drew into a deep vee. "What are you saying?" The question held no anger, only concern. Roy caught up Edward's hand and planted a kiss in the palm, watching the other man, waiting for an explanation.

"Ever since...I restored Al...I can't help but feel like I'm missing a part of myself...but everything's still here...I don't understand..." Edward closed his eyes to avoid having to see the look on that face. "_I feel like I'm dying..._"

The Flame Alchemist stilled. Liquid black eyes fixed on Edward's face. "I don't know what to say," Roy said carefully, neutrally.

"How can you always be so fucking calm!" Golden eyes were open now, though squinted with hurt and anger, glistening with tears. "How can you just sit there like nothing happened!" Ed made an effort, mostly with his automail limbs, to shove Roy off of the desk and onto the floor, not so gently. "Don't you ever _feel_ anything?! Don't you ever _break_!" He was leaning over the side of the desk, staring down at Roy as tears fell, he was pissed, but mostly at himself.

"_You don't have to put up a mask for me, Roy!_"

Sprawled on the floor, the Colonol gingerly felt the back of his head for wounds. Roy stared up at Edward. "Maybe..." he breathed in, closing his eyes, trying for composure. "Maybe I don't know any other way to behave. Maybe you... bring out the vulnerability in me. Maybe that scares me."

"_Bastard..._" The seething blond spat, vehemence obvious but undertoned with obvious hurt, rolling over onto his other side on the desk and curling into a fetal position and shedding silent tears. Edward felt suddenly cold.

"Don't do that." Suddenly fragility crept into Roy's voice, pain showing through. He pulled himself with the aid of his desk, reaching for Edward's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure what I've done to upset you, Edward--I--Edward, please. I... care for you... very much. I apologize. Sometimes I am..." He winced, remembering. "Less than tender. It's... difficult."

"_And it's because of all those things that it hurts even more...because...I.can't.stay..._" The fragile boy cringed under Roy's touch, one sob audible before Edward regained control again.

The older man drew back as if Edward had burned him, pain openly showing on his face. "...Edward?" Roy fought to contain control of his voice, but it broke slightly just the same. "...Why? Why? I can change if you need me to. Please, just tell me. I don't want to--" oh the dreaded word again-- "lose you. Please, Edward." Voice low and urgent now, pleading.

"But what if I _don't have a choice..._" Fullmetal curled up even more, hugging himself tightly. "Equivalent exchange, Roy...I couldn't have restored Al without losing _something_...but I'm still physically whole...so what _was_ it that I lost Roy, what else would there _be_ for me to lose?"

"'What if' doesn't count," Roy said gently. "As long as you want me, the only way for you to lose me is for me to leave you. I'm not going to leave you unless you want me to..." Oh, a new wash of fears at that one.

"You don't _get_ it, Roy...I lost _something!_" Edward slid off of the desk and walked past Roy, grabbing the man's coat from the rack near the door and wrapping it around himself as he took a seat on one of the cleaner couches, huddled there in the coat. "I'm fucking _scared,_ Roy..._I can't shake the feeling that I'm slowly dying from the inside out..._"

Roy distractedly tugged on his pants. "It's probably all in your mind, Edward," he rationalized. "Even if there's a... problem... you can see people, doctors..."

"Roy...I...I don't know how to explain it...but I think Al understands...it was like that for him too..." Golden eyes looked pleadingly to the older man. "I can't stay here...take the watch, I can't stay in the military..I can't stay your dog...but I can stay your pet...I don't want to disappear..."

Dark eyes flickered. "What are you saying?" Roy asked again, quietly. "Where are you going? What's happening, Edward?"

"I don't _want_ to go anywhere...I just want to stay by your side...but I don't want to be a dog of the military anymore..." Ed reached his automail arm out of the coat towards Roy. "I just need you to hold me and remind me that I'm still alive..._don't let me disappear, Roy...please don't let me disappear..._"

Roy enveloped Edward in his arms, rocking him slowly back and forth, kissing that golden hair, taking in the scent of cool, damp locks. "Don't... It's alright. Shhh. It'll be alright. I'm not going to let you slip away... You can quit the military if you want. Please, Edward... Please..."

He didn't even know what he was asking for.

Edward pulled the older man down to the couch, somehow managing to give him enough room to stretch out before he curled up on top of Roy, the coat now covering both of them, as Ed let the warmth soak through his body and mind. Ever since he'd restored Al, he hadn't felt truly alive...but here...here in Roy's arms, Edward was more than just alive...

Still frowning faintly, Roy stroked the nape of Edward's neck, rubbing tension out of those shoulders. "Please," he repeated softly, hardly even aware of his words.

"_Thank you...for everything..._" Their location smelled faintly of smoke and tinder, aftereffects of the flame, and the smells of sex, sweat, blood, heat. But most of all, Edward was calmed by a smell that he alone could recognize anywhere...and that was the scent of Colonel Roy Mustang. It put him at peace, and the warmth of the other man so close...he was so tired...his mind floating high above the clouds in dreamland.

"_I love you..._"

"I love you, too," Roy told the sleeping boy, and held him close.

God knew they needed this small bit of comfort... If only for tonight.

_

* * *

_

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n;


	7. Waking Dreams

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Waking Dreams

* * *

**

**Rating: **PG-13  
**Pairings: **None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **End of series.  
**Setting: **A city near Dublith, Edward was sent out on a mission to capture a serial killer believed to be using alchemy.  
**Timeline: **A few months later.

* * *

_ There was the sound of approaching steps. Uneven sounds on the dirt from boot-clad feet. One step was hollow, metallic, the next soft and natural. The steps alternated this way until they stopped at the edge of the clearing. A boy of fifteen stood there at the edge of the trees, blond bangs blown in his face as a breeze picked up and slowed. Golden eyes gazed fierce and reminiscent at the pole in the center of the clearing. Red coat rustled with the leaves in the wind, and the boy didn't move. Just stared, as that boiling hatred and equally raging guilt rose in his chest. Edward hated this place. This place reminded him of his father, the one he hated more than anyone in the world. Until recently at least. It was only recently after all that he found out the truth. And that was why he hated this place. He knew that not far off to the west was an empty and barren field. He knew that field once was a village. He knew that village was the first sacrifice that began four hundred years of pain and suffering for this world's people. That village had been used to create the first Philosopher's Stone. And there his hatred came around to a full circle again, for it was his father who created that stone. He had seen another world on the other side of the Gate. At first he thought it was "Truth" but he was wrong. It was Hell. Edward hated this place. _

_ Lost in bitter memories, Edward didn't even hear the approaching steps, and stood firm, gloved hands, one metal and one flesh and blood, shoved into his pants pockets. Again the wind blew. _

_ The stranger's gaze traveled to a lone figure but he had passed it to stand near the rocks, and the pole, he slowly reached in the side of his cloak to take out a pen and small notebook, he held it up and started to make small notes on the area. _

_ He hated this place. But then why had he come here? Edward was torn from his thoughts as another figure stepped past him, and he caught a glimpse of golden eyes. The surge of hatred, guilt, and remorse took him by surprise. But there were no golden blond wisps of hair that fell past that hat, only the faint hint of brunette. Not even realizing it, Edward heaved out a sigh of relief. The eyes might have been the same, but this man was no relative of his. He was thankful. _

_ There was a flash of blazing helium in Edward's eyes and the smell of fire and blood filled his nostrils. He could almost feel the heat. And then it was gone. Just like that, it was gone. The Zeppelins...the rotting body of his father...this other boy named Edward Elric. _

_ Edward shivered slightly, face paled as he turned his back on the clearing. Uneven steps faded away into the distance as the blaze of red fabric disappeared from sight._

-------------------------------

Edward sat there outside the study door, eyes showing a hollow soul, a dull amber, shock and disbelief. He had just seen two men die right before his eyes and in the same instant vanish into thin air. Shock was understandable.

There was the tapping of shoes on the stone floor, and a black-clad figure stepped up to the door of the study, staring in awe at the mess. He turned upon hearing the rustling of fabric behind him, and golden eyes met amber. "Edward...? Did...you do this?"

The blond simply stared in shock and awe, this had to be a dream, a nightmare. He stepped forward slowly, reaching out towards Cain. "Is it really you? Is this real? I just...you just..." Edward composed himself. "I...didn't do this...but I suspect I know who did..." The alchemist stepped past Cain and into the study once more, clapping his hands together and touching them to the ground as the room returned to its previous state. "There's a man who's been after your life...I came here to follow him...and just hours ago...I watched you die right before my eyes...right over there..." A gloved hand pointed to the corner of the room.

Cain's eyes widened. "You're with...are you with...?!" He observed how the room was restored, taking a step back towards the door. "Dead? But...I'm...here now aren't I?"

"Who? I don't know what you're talking about...but take care of yourself...he's liable to try again...and I don't know...I've seen people come back from the dead before...in fact..I've died twice..." Ed walked over to the corner opposite the one he'd pointed to and took a seat, bringing his knees to his chest. "I don't have anywhere to go...so I hope you don't mind if I just crash here tonight..." Without even waiting for a response, the blond alchemist was fast asleep.

Cain stared in shock and shook his head. What was Edward talking about? He died? That couldn't be right...

------

Edward awoke to the sound of an explosion, golden eyes snapping open to stare across the study at the silhouette of a figure outlined in flames. That cackle could only belong to one person..."Kimbley..."

How pleasant, to find the little shrimp here! Kimbley was beside himself with amusement, first this castle, then he'd make the boy into the perfect bomb to finish the job! His hands were placed against the floor, as the look of stone began to shift black, outwards around his hands.

Edward was quick to react, clapping his hands together and slamming them down to reverse the effect. But he wasn't quick enough to notice that Kimbley was no longer in front, but behind him. He wasn't quick enough to block the man's hands, and before he even knew it his vision had blurred, and he felt strangely detached.

Zolof Kimbley simply grinned. His best work yet! Holding the boy by the wrist, he flung Ed across the room, gold eyes glittering with satisfaction and glee at the explosion that followed. His job might as well be done, Kimbley mused, before heading out of the castle and into the night.

-----

His voice was gone...he couldn't speak..he couldn't feel...is this...how he was going to die? Was this the end? Edward was afraid. His life flashed before his eyes and his voice returned a split second later. But all Ed could do was scream. A scream that echoed loudly through the entire town. And then there was silence.

_

* * *

_

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n;


	8. Piss Fucking Drunk

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Piss Fucking Drunk

* * *

**

**Rating: **PG-13/R (For language, mostly)  
**Pairings: **GreedxMartel(one sided in a way), KimbleyxMartel (Piss fucking drunk)  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **None.  
**Setting: **Devil's Nest.  
**Timeline: **Not long after Ed went splodey.

* * *

There was the typical shuffling of boots, tapping down the staircase, and an exhausted huff and somewhat annoyed grunt when he was offered a drink. That meant the usual. Kimbley took off his jacket and tossed it over the arm of one of the couches. Typical, Greed was nowhere to be found. Probably out with his girls again...that was his type, Zo supposed. 

Narcisse had been dressed in his usual casual button up denim shirt, his eyes had been half lidded when he entered the area, his hair was neatly placed to his face, though he had wondered about the area, he had been nervous. His reputation wasn't high at all, he was just one of those people who did things at their own will, and this time his will took him here.

"Oi Gree-oh..." Kim noticed the newcomer. "Welcome to the Devil's Nest, what's yer poison, kid?" He grinned, snatching the glass of whiskey from the barkeep before it even hit the bar, his other hand grabbing the man by his shirt. "Treat our guest on the house. I won't be responsible if Greed comes back and there's a huge fuckin hole in the back wall and you're nowhere to be found." The grin widened chaotically as he let the trembling barkeep go. "Pull up a chair, have a seat, what're you in for? You look like the type, so I'd have to ask, what do you use?"

"I don't drink," The boy said quietly to the other man's response, his eyes were still down a little, he didn't seem too social or happy, but more of the type that were trapped inside their heads, searching for answers. Though he did raise his eyes a little to watch Kimbley bother the bar tender, and as soon as he let him go he cautiously went to Kimbley's side and sat down, "Multiple murders for their riches, and sharp objects."

"I bet if you asked Tucker you could get yourself fused with somethin with claws and fangs, eh? And speed, but I don't care much for all those chimeras anyway...that dog boy isn't so bad though, kinda like him a bit, but the girls annoy me to no end." Funny, Kimbley didn't tend to talk that much to strangers unless he was going to blow them up... He took a sip from his drink. "Ahh...say, kid...you like fireworks?" That was more like it.

Narcisse listened to Kimbley, having no clue on what he was talking about, someone named Tucker and a few mentioned things with drugs. He turned a little, placing his right palm to his cheek to watch the other, "I suppose I do.."

"Check this..." The Crimson Alchemist finished his drink and grinned, holding the glass in his palm as it started to change just slightly in color. He then tossed the glass up, as it was no longer glass at all, and as it reached the height of its arc, the once glass now bomb exploded in midair. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Narcisse watched the glass get tossed in the air, he noticed the small change of color and was expecting it to fall back down to the ground and shatter, but instead it exploded and made him jump a little, he looked to Kimbley, his face paled, "Y-yes it is."

Kimbley chuckled and held out his hands, showing off the alchemy arrays permanently tattooed onto his palms. "I used to be called the Crimson Alchemist...do you know why?"

The boy leaned in a little to hand, he blinked slightly and glanced up to Kimbley's face, "No, sir, I apologize.. I don't.. will you tell me why?"

Kim smirked, eyes glittering in a way one should really be afraid to see. He lifted his hands to the ceiling, almost as though reaching for it, and threw back his head in laughter for a second before shaking his head and dropping his arms back down, hands draped over his thighs. "Back in the war...they sent out us Alchemists to finish the job quick. I finished it alright, heh...Really though, who cares who dies if there's a lovely explosion! I killed them all, they had me court martialled and placed under arrest to die, but I never died, I got out. That's why I'm here, kid, because I killed enemy and ally alike in that war, and goddammit it was fuckin awesome!"

Narcisse smiled a little, the other was the opposite of him, loud and very energetic, as for himself he was quiet and hidden. He was taken by Kimbley's story so he turned his body so he could face the other a little more, "Did they scream? Or was there no time?"

"I can still hear the screams, those pathetic little mongrels begging for me to spare their lives, the agony as I blew them apart with their own family members, and that one guy...the one I gave that scar to, still surprised he lived after I blew off his arm, but Ishbarites are greasy little rodents after all...that one was my masterpiece, that guy they call Scar!" Kimbley grinned, tracing an x pattern over his forehead, the tips crossing down over his eyes. "Just like that, the scar that gave him his name, I gave to him."

"As long as you thought it was awesome," The boy lowered his smile a little, leaving out the strong language the other had use, it just wasn't his type or place to use it. Though he had wondered about this Scar.

The ponytailed Crimson Alchemist leaned over the bar, reaching back to grab a dusty deep red bottle from the shelf, wiping the dust off the bottle, then off his hands, then off his pants, Kimbley leaned against the bar and read the label, as the boy seemed to have drifted into thought.

Gold eyes trailed along the list of ingredients, the date, the maker, the name. Mostly to see if Greed would get pissed at him for a) drinking all of it or b) using it as a bomb.

With a slightly bored sigh, Kimbley pulled out the cork from the bottle, not even bothering to pour himself a glass and just doing the one thing your mother always tells you not to do, drink from the container.

Pausing in mid-drink, the Crimson Alchemist quirked a brow at the kid, and of course did what he always did the first time he met someone...that is...size up how good of a bomb they'd make. Gold eyes surveyed this person carefully, fair size...nice build...probably had a good even amount of ingredients...if anything he'd just have to force a few drinks down the kid to even out the contents. Kimbley continued his drink.

Getting a bit tired of the moping in silence, Kimbley set down the bottle he'd been drinking from, irritated at having been interrupted by something so trivial, but at the same time excited, considering this person was about to become a good little show of fireworks outside. Walking towards the door, he grabbed the boy by the arm, dragging him after, as it wasn't long before said human was now said human time bomb. Snatching up the bottle he'd set down, he threw the kid out the door, smirking as the night was lit up by a brilliant explosion, which just so happened to catch a few innocent bystanders in its wake as well. Good times, Kimbley chuckled to himself and took another drink, watching with a satisfied smirk his handiwork.

Martel stood near the back of the bar, having just emerged from her quarters. Narrowing her eyes at the sight of Kimbley's smirk, she started to step forward. That smirk was never a good thing. Her gait sped up a little, and then abruptly stopped as she saw the flicker of light and heard the thunder of an explosion outside. Her eyes widened in momentary shock, and then frowned at the man. "God dammit, Kimbley, not again!" she hissed, frustrated. The man irritated her enough, but... this was too much. It practically screamed, 'Look over here, look over here! It's a hideout for criminals, come quick!'

"Oh come on...the kid was a nuisance...and besides...it's not like it isn't obvious we're here anyway, just look at those friends of yours, they're a dead giveaway." Gold eyes seemed to look down on Martel slightly, smirk fading into just that degrading little grin of his.

Dull green eyes remained narrowed, looking up at him with one hand on her hip. "And like blowing up random bystanders isn't?" the chimera drawled back in equal contempt.

"We're even." The Crimson Alchemist turned away from the doorway, heading back to the seat he'd taken at the bar, bottle in hand, grin still set. My was it fun to irritate the snake.

"Hn." Martel frowned, peeking out the doorway once more to examine the damage, holding onto the door. She sighed when she pulled away her fingers, noting the blood that had been splattered on the entrance. She wiped it on her pants. "Messy, as usual. Why am I not surprised?" she scoffed.

Kimbley shrugged it off, pushing up his sleeves. He had a feeling this was going to be a rather long night...

"Greed helps us out a lot; the least you could do is keep this place clean for him," she said, ducking behind the bar and pulling out a towel. Martel wiped away the blood from the door, and then tossed the crimson towel at, coincidentally, the Crimson Alchemist. "I'm not your mommy, next time clean your own mess up."

"I don't do clean..." One hand raised to catch the towel, and perhaps it was noted the glint in his eyes as he tossed it back.

She caught the towel, and snaked her arm across the room to press the dirty cloth into his face. Martel was unafraid of Kimbley, despite his constant irritation of her. If he ever hurt her, he'd have Law and Dorochet after his hide, perhaps even Greed, but who knew with him? "Don't be such a spoiled brat."

"Tch...maybe you should stop being such an uptight halfling..." Quite fun indeed...Kimbley slung the rag over the bar, getting back to his drink.

Martel twitched, if you looked close enough. She stepped towards the bar, slamming her palm down onto the wood and glaring at him. "Maybe if I didn't have to deal with such immature assholes, I wouldn't be uptight."

Kimbley's grin broadened. "Maybe if you'd get that whole Greed-obsessed stick out of your ass, you mean."

Martel seemed startled for a moment, a faint flush darting across her cheeks. "Wh-" she began, before scowling deeply and cuffing the alchemist hard on the back of the head, enough to make his head meet the wood of the bar. "You little creep!" she snapped.

"Che...You act like it's not obvious or something." The alchemist grinned slightly still, rubbing his forehead slightly.

"What do you know anyway?" she snapped, not really asking, more just wanting to yell at Kimbley. Martel scowled, going behind the bar and drawing forth a bottle, pouring it into a glass and dropping ice in. Her eyes remained narrowed, and her full, luscious lips remained set in a frown. She leaned forward and rested an elbow on the bar, sipping from the glass. "It's not like you give anything back. Isn't that what you alchemists are supposed to be all about, equivalent trade? Greed helps you, you don't give anything back. I'm not obsessed. You're just a jerk."

"I'm hurt, really..." Cynical bastard that he was, Kimbley pushed it to the edge. "But you're just uptight because you don't want him to know and the rest of us could care less, especially me." He took another drink from the bottle, luckily he'd saved that from Martel's PMSing. "You're too obvious, I thought snakes were supposed to be more subtle, guess I was wrong..." Push, prod, snag.

Ooh, he was being more annoying than usual today. In a moment, the dagger had leapt from its sheath, and the snake chimera had swung it towards his neck. She didn't break the skin, but she had set down her glass. Martel raised a brow. "If you've forgotten, snakes are also easily vexed. Don't push your luck." Dorochet and Law cared about her, she knew they did. When Kimbley said they didn't, it didn't bother her, because she knew he was just playing with her. And when he said he didn't care, well, that just made her life easier. It was only if he mentioned Greed... that might make her a little nervous, as she could never quite figure out just what the homunculus was thinking.

A little here, a little there...venom could be toxic but only if the snake were to bite. "Aaaah...I'd think he'd be disappointed in you for flying off the handle so easy though, ya know..." Gold eyes opened to glint almost darkly at Martel from the corners as that smirk slowly etched back on his face. "He pretends not to notice, but he knows..." The Crimson Alchemist slipped out of Martel's reach, at least, current reach, stalking towards the back door. "Maybe you should think about just talking to him or something, at least it'd get him off my back for a while." One hand rose in a half-hearted wave of nonchalance over his shoulder, as Kimbley disappeared through the back door as it shut, grin falling away to a slightly irritated and tired look, which followed him to his room.

Upstairs the faint sound could be heard of a small explosion, which signaled Kimbley turning out the lights.

Martel blinked, startled for a moment, and then growled after Kimbley left, hurling the knife against the door he'd exited from. God, that man bothered her. She really didn't see why Greed kept him around. What a nuisance.

She sighed, picking up the glass she had been drinking from, then reached for the bottle. She hesitated, remembering Kimbley had been drinking from it. She didn't mind people doing it typically, and did it herself on several occasions, but she couldn't stand when Kimbley did it. Or anything else he did for that matter. Resigning to a different bottle, she moved her way over to the couch. The chimera dropped down onto it, kicking her booted feet up onto the table and finishing off the glass with a thought. Just what did Kimbley mean by 'getting Greed off his back'? Martel decided not to think on it too much. Now that the alchemist wasn't around, it was easier to hear herself think, and she decided it wasn't a wise decision to think about what he had said too much. She'd be playing right into his web. She should have been in power here, not him. She knew Greed better (at least as far as she knew), and she wasn't a pyromaniac freak. The serpentine woman sighed. Well... she wasn't a pyromaniac at least. Being a freak, well, she couldn't exactly deny that one. She ran a hand over her blonde hair to tuck the bang back. It only fell down into her face again. Martel leaned her head against the back of the couch, closing her eyes and losing herself to thought. She didn't feel like bed just yet.

The dagger sat still in the wood of the door, untouched.

En-..er...'Greed' slipped in unnoticed, making his way across the room to lounge rather luxuriously on one of the leather couches, propping his feet up on the coffee table in front of himself and letting his arms drape over the back of the couch, much like if there were people occupying the couch to either side of him. _A little grungy, but overall not such a bad place he's got here..._ Envy thought to himself, inwardly grinning at how easy it was to find this place. That lunatic of an alchemist had all but laid down the red carpet, and in Greed's absence, there was an open opportunity to wreak some real havoc. Actually, Havoc would be later, as Envy currently resided in the form of someone he truly hated, Greed himself. He relaxed, feigning sleep in case anyone were to walk in, so that he wouldn't be bogged with questions.

Martel had not left her place at the opposite couch, but she had dozed off a little. At the sound of 'Greed''s boots hitting the table, she stirred a little, and lifted her head. Blinking her dull green eyes, she looked over at the homunculus. "Oh, Greed. I didn't think you'd be back this early," the chimera admitted as she sat upright. "Dorochet said he thought you were coming back tomorrow afternoon."

Greed waved a hand nonchalantly, grin on his face. "Took a little shortcut." It was simple as that.

The chimera smirked a little. "Notice the little present Kimbley left at the door?"

The Homunculus pushed up his sunglasses with an indifferent yet somewhat amused grin. "He wasn't too much trouble, I hope..." Violet eyes glanced at Martel over the rims of black sunglasses, as Greed tilted his head.

"He was just... usual Kimbley," the chimera sighed, shaking her head. She scratched a hand over her feathered blonde hair and reached her arms up in a stretch. "He's always trouble. Why do you still keep him around? We can't trust him at all. I mean, honestly, if he grabs random bar goers, blows them up in the street, isn't that a little more conspicuous than we want?"

"Would you rather him be against us?" It was more of a rhetorical question, and Envy knew that having that psycho of a teammate, albeit fun, would be utterly dangerous if he was on the wrong side, or even on the right side for that matter, he was just dangerous. But knowing Greed, the selfish Homunculus would rather have Kimbley in his grasp, at least a Homunculus could be a match for that lunatic Alchemist.

"Frankly, I'd rather not have him at all." Martel frowned, putting a hand to her forehead, closing her eyes. "I can't stand him Greed, you know that."

"He's a better ally than an enemy, though...and really, despite the benefits of having your head blown off every once in a while, it's not doing much for my fan club." Greed smirked, shrugging. "Have a seat?" Tattooed hand motioned at the empty cushion next to him.

The blonde chimera nodded, walking over to the bar. "Yeah, hang on a minute." Martel grabbed a bottle, and two glasses, setting them down on the table and taking a seat beside him. She poured a glass, handed it to him, then took her own. "He's absolutely loathed by the other alchemists." She paused, then corrected herself. "He's absolutely loathed by everyone." She was careful not to lean back at the moment, as she knew Greed's arm was still around the back of the couch, and she didn't want to seem to get too comfortable against it. So instead, she rested her forearms on her knees, sipping at the glass.

Greed took the glass and tilted it one way then the other, watching the ice swirl around in the liquid, listening to the sound of ice against the glass when it hit. He took note the way Martel was a bit reluctant to get comfortable, and Envy could only imagine why...but couldn't exactly imagine why Greed of all people...he wasn't even cute!

Martel prodded at the ice in the glass idly, frowning. Again, another awkward moment. She couldn't stand them. It was all right if it was when Greed was discussing a battle plan, and she was his subordinate, but when they were comrades like this... it was downright uncomfortable. Okay, this was going to stop. Now. She glanced over her shoulder at him, smirking a little. "So, did you end up picking anything up for yourself while you were out?"

"Nn? Aa...there wasn't much to be seen, place was in ruins! But I did manage to salvage this.." Greed leaned forward a bit, setting his drink on the table, still untouched, and rummaged in one of his pockets, before pulling out a chain with an emerald green crystal pendant attached to it. "It's not really my style, ya know?" He held it up so the pendant dangled next to Martel's face, and grinned. "Matches your eyes."

The serpentine soldier glanced over at him after a moment, and it wasn't hard to see the blush across her face. Not in front of Greed, dammit... She rolled her eyes in a quick cover-up, replying, "Prostitutes leave around two AM, Greed, and it's nearly four. Check your watch." But the sarcasm was affectionate, teasing.

"What? I was being serious!" The grin would've said otherwise though, then again, wasn't he almost always wearing it? "Hey if you don't want it I can just let Kimbley use it as another bomb..." Violet eyes looked at the ceiling in a way of teasingly sarcastic contemplation.

Martel rolled her eyes again, amused this time. She smirked, and reached back, grabbing it from his hand. The chimera held it up in front of her, and surveyed it a minute. "I could get a pretty penny for it in a pawn shop. Tell Kimbley he should find better things to do than blow up stuff we could use for money," she mused with a fond smirk.

"Money's not even a problem and you know that, Martel..." Greed smirked, leaning back again and taking his drink with him. He sipped the liquid a bit, rolling the taste over his tongue as he draped the other arm over the back of the couch again. For once, Envy was at a loss of what to say in a situation like this.

"I'm not depending on you for everything, Greed," Martel said stubbornly. "You give us enough. I should at least try to help out." It was something she mulled over often. How could Greed, someone who wanted everything to himself, be so... giving? Was she greedy instead, for wanting to stay? Perhaps she tried to convince herself otherwise by returning the pay, like the equivalent trade Al spoke of so often.

Greed chuckled slightly at that, moving forward again to set his drink down once more on the table, other arm casually draping over Martel's shoulders. "You're even less relaxed than usual, you don't have to always be at attention..."

Again, the chimera felt her face growing hot, and she scowled, again trying to mask it by looking forward and away from him. An excuse was hard to come up with this time. "Well, anything can happen," she replied, almost lame in its transparency.

Greed chuckled slightly. "Take my drink, you need to loosen up, and nothing helps that like alcohol!" He'd picked up his glass, holding it out to her with his free hand, other arm still draped casually over Martel's shoulders, grin in place.

She paused, and then shrugged, sighing. Well... what harm could it do, really? It's not like he was trying to mess with her or anything... Martel trusted Greed. He wouldn't do that to her. She reached back and took it, swirling the glass around before taking a sip. Oh well. She did need to loosen up anyway...

"Aaahh..." Greed grinned approvingly and leaned back again, violet eyes darting to the bar's only other occupant for a quick glance over his shoulder before returning to the ceiling, then closing. Even Envy knew that Greed had to be careful about who he let stay, after all, he was a Homunculus...harboring a bunch of escaped chimera...one convicted psychotic alchemist...and who knows what other types...

"He'll leave soon enough," Martel muttered quietly, catching Greed's glance at the newcomer. It was rare that people came in here; most knew it was a bad place to hang around. If he became suspicious... well, she'd arrange to have him leave, albeit not in a way Kimbley would like, but a more subtle one. But that wasn't the foremost subject on her mind right now.

Martel sighed, running a hand over her spiky hair again. She'd gotten used to Greed's arm around her shoulder by now. Whether that was from the glasses of alcohol she'd drank already, or from the period of time he had been there, she didn't know yet. But at least it didn't bother her. She sipped again, halfway through the glass already. A very faint blush was on her cheeks, near the lines of the red tattoo. It gave her pale, feminine skin just the slightest touch of color, courtesy of the liquor. After a few moments of silence and the third glass (and this was no light alcohol, mind you), she'd mellowed out a little, thankfully.

For a moment, Greed opened his eyes and grinned thoughtfully to himself, and then he moved to get more comfortable. It just so happened that more comfortable was his feet propped up on the arm of the couch, hands behind his head, using Martel's leg as a pillow. Comfy, he closed his eyes again.

The chimera blinked, and this time she consciously blushed. But instead of scowling, she smiled a little and nudged him. "Neh... Greed... always have to take the most space on the couch."

"It's my couch isn't it?" Violet eyes looked up at Martel, grin still on Greed's face.

"Well, you're sharing it with me, and so now it's not yours," Martel said with a smirk. She shrugged her bare, tattooed shoulders nonchalantly. "I've commandeered it."

"Well then I claim it back as mine under the notion that you're not fit to rule it in your current state." Greed smirked, still looking up at her.

"Of course I can!" she objected, pouting. Only when she was drunk would Martel pout. Being drunk and around Greed was an added plus. "I'm perfectly fit to rule this couch."

The Homunculus chuckled. "You could always stretch out too if you wanted, it would only need a little more rearranging." Greed stated matter of factly, but it wouldn't be hard to spot ulterior motive there.

The chimera paused, and then laughed softly, waving a hand. "Maah, move over then. I'm too tired to go to the other couch."

"Hmm...maybe I could just try something else instead.." That being said, Greed rolled over off the couch, managing to end up on his feet, standing. Hands were braced against the back of the couch on either side of Martel's head as he leaned forward, proximity almost uncomfortably close, at least it would be under really any other given circumstance.

Martel blinked, Greed's closeness almost startling. Her breath whispered softly through her pursed full lips, and her pale cheeks were dusted with rose color. "G-Greed..." she whispered, her emerald eyes slightly widened and watching him. So close... he looked even more attractive. She wanted to touch him... She lifted her hand, brushing it against his cheek and then cupping the side of his face. Her verdant eyes were on him all the while, going from shocked to fascinated slowly in her hazy, drunken state. Of course, she had no idea that while this skin felt like his, those eyes looked like his... it wasn't him.

"Shhh..." The Homunculus grinned, moving one hand to lightly touch the side of Martel's face, closer...

The back door opened suddenly as Kimbley strolled through with a slight yawn, oblivious at first to what was going on, his eyes focused on the bar's unfamiliar occupant. "Not again..."

It was then that Kimbley noticed Greed and Martel, and stared for a moment with the random bar goer's wrist grasped firmly in one hand.

Added up...there was something wrong with this picture...Martel...Greed...Martel...Greed's position...no rings...wait...No RINGS! "Yo, _Greed_! What's the part of your body I enjoy blowing up the most?"

Martel's eyes had fluttered closed, her fingers shaking lightly against 'Greed''s cheeks. She took in a soft gasp, her lips still pursed... he was so close, she could feel the warmth from his body radiating against her face. God, what she'd been longing for for so long... was this it? But that moment, that wonderful, glorious moment had been interrupted. Not just a mild sound in the corner of the room interrupting it, no. Zolof J. Kimbley, yelling a completely useless question when Greed was barely an inch away from her interrupting it. Martel blushed fervently at being seen in this intimate moment by the person she hated most, and so rudely. Angrily, she started to hiss, "Kimbley, what are you talking about?"

"Is that supposed to be a trick question, Kimbley?" 'Greed' pushed off the couch, standing in between the coffee table and Martel, as violet eyes turned to Kimbley. "Usually it's my entire body, that way you don't have to bother sectioning off..." Hands on his hips, 'Greed' seemed a bit miffed at Kimbley's entrance. Envy on the other hand was thinking of a backup plan.

The psychotic grin on Kimbley's face widened considerably as a jolt of energy surged through the civilian's body. The fuse was set and the fire was in his eyes. "Wrong answer...now why don't you show your own face!" The Crimson Alchemist didn't even give a warning before shoving the time bomb of a human body to 'Greed' as it would be, hands working already on a second bomb as he flipped over the bar, reaching for the potent ingredients for a nice Molotov cocktail. "Might want to get out of the way, snake..."

'Greed' moved aside with a different kind of speed and grace than usual, the swing of a leg sending the volatile body across the room, where it detonated, taking out several tables and chairs, as well as a section of floor. In the same instant, a light surrounded 'Greed' and no longer was he Greed, but now Envy stood there atop the coffee table, hands on his hips and a miffed look on his face. "Hey, hey...why'd you have to go and do that? You ruined my fun...what a little nuisance you are." A smirk placed itself upon his face and violet eyes narrowed mischievously at Kimbley.

"That's what I thought...Envy was it? With the other Homunculus huh? Greed's not here...so you might as well beat it before I really wake up and decide to make a mess..." Two liquor bottles were being twirled in Kimbley's hands, just waiting for the signal, though he did hope he didn't have to waste good spirits.

Martel stumbled against the opposite wall in all the confusion, leaping from the couch. Where was Greed? ...No... Greed was never here... it was Envy... Envy, all that time... that blissful, heavenly dream... it was just that. A dream. A game, for Envy. Her eyes burned with fury, and for once, she was happy Kimbley was trying to blow someone up inside. Darting her snake arm across the room, she yanked the dagger from its place in the door. Hissing her breaths in and out, she shook with wrath, growling, "You... bastard..."

"Aaahh..." Envy pushed his hair out of his face in what was more of a showy gesture than one of actual importance. "By the way, 'splodey, thanks for showing me the way, but I'll just be going now! After all, it would be a shame for you to blow up the whole place, it's actually not half bad, in fact, I was getting used to it even!" He laughed, nimbly leaping over Martel and the couch, and making a swift exit, door slamming shut just in time to prevent Martel's knife from embedding itself into his skull.

Kimbley pouted a bit, then scowled at himself, putting the bottles back. He then turned to Martel and made his way around the bar and right up to her, pushing her back down on the couch. "Just how much have you had to drink anyway not to be able to notice that he wasn't really Greed! Or did your little obsession cloud your mind so much you didn't _care_!"

"Shut the hell up!!" Martel screamed, standing swiftly and shoving at his shoulders. The chimera could feel hot tears building up behind her eyes, and she knew they'd fall, but she knew she couldn't stop them. She needed to yell at someone, anyone. She didn't even have a comeback for Kimbley. She wasn't even angry with him for a change. She was just angry. And hurt. A bead of warm water rolled from her lashes, slithering down her cheek in shame, in frustration, in sorrow. She felt her throat getting tight, and not even registering her words, only the feeling of the volume of her voice, she yelled, "You don't know anything you're talking about!"

"Che, get a hold of yourself! Since when do you cry not to mention in front of me!" Kimbley did the only thing he could think of to do, well, besides blow something up of course, and backhanded Martel hard across the face before he even realized he was doing it. He immediately felt just the slightest bit guilty, but, being himself, there was no way he was going to show that in front of her of all people. "You did what anybody in your position would've done! That disguise of his is completely flawless, not to mention you were drunk!"

Martel let out a small cry of surprise (but a little pain) as his knuckles met her jaw, her head jerking with the movement. Her lips pursed again, and her cheek was red, but not from intimacy this time. She was slightly startled, and things seemed to make a little sense now. Envy had tricked her. She was drunk. But that didn't make her feel better one bit. She swallowed, looking down at the ground, her head tilted away from the alchemist and holding her reddish cheek.

Wait. Was the alchemist showing concern for her?

Secretly, Kimbley flexed his hand to relieve the pain in his fingers. God either he was getting soft or Martel just had a really REALLY hard bone structure... "Feh...look...Greed'll be back tomorrow, you can talk to him then, for real this time..." The ponytailed alchemist turned his back to her, trying to keep his casual composure while still cursing himself mentally and scowling on the inside. What in the hell was he doing?! "Eh...sorry I hit you so hard..." The last bit was discreetly mumbled.

Martel swallowed to regain herself, rubbing her cheek. After a moment, she muttered back, "...Sorry I was a bitch..."

Kimbley reached up and rubbed the back of his head a bit. "It was my fault for being such a jackass, though..."

"You are a jackass," Martel said with a tiny sad smile, just a bare quirk of her full lips. She sighed softly. She walked to the bar, ducking under and finding some ice, tying it up in a towel and holding it against her face. "But I'm an idiot, so you have every right to hit me. Can't believe I was crying..."

"You're still a woman after all, unpredictable and way too emotional." Kimbley walked back and took a seat at the bar again, reaching under and grabbing the bottle he'd left before.

"Like you've had so much experience with women," the chimera said, smirking a little and rolling her eyes. This was strange... not like her typical arguments with him... no, this was teasing, not insulting. "What's your record for knowing a woman and not blowing her up? 48 hours?"

"Well how long have I known you?" Kimbley realized the second he finished that phrase that it definitely didn't sound like it would be taken the way he meant it.

Martel paused, and then smirked, shifting the ice on her cheek. "So, you've been able to stand me the longest, and yet, you hate me the most. I guess I'm glad you like me more than the others."

A mixed look came across Kimbley's features, as though he wasn't quite sure how to react to that. "Tch...it's only because Greed and the others would have my head if I killed you..." Stop confusing yourself Zo...you're losing your own ability to differentiate between fact and what is perceived as fact...

Martel laughed softly. "Come on, Kimbley, you're a convicted State Alchemist. What would a few more people after you really mean for you? Need I point out the people who dislike you? Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric, Roy Mustang, Alex Armstrong, need I go on? That's only the beginning, and just the alchemists."

"Che..." Kimbley turned his head. God he hated women and their damn logic.

Martel snickered softly, shaking her head. "So I suppose you just like me. Okay, I guess I can tolerate that."

"I never said that!" The Crimson Alchemist snapped back, gold eyes glaring at Martel. "Don't go putting words in my mouth, snake!"

"When you find yourself too tongue-tied to do it yourself, I feel I should compensate," she replied with a smirk.

Kimbley resorted to taking a long drink from the bottle he was holding to avoid spitting out something else that would be overly jackass of him. "I still hate you..."

"We just went over this, Kimbley," Martel said with a smirk, rubbing the ice on her cheek. "Greed being angry at you wouldn't really make a difference, so the reason that I've been alive for so long in your presence is because you don't hate me. If you don't want me to put words in your mouth, come up with something better to say."

"Fuck you..." Kimbley mumbled, taking another drink from the bottle and saying no more.

"Good enough," Martel replied, nodding. She yawned and took a seat next to Kimbley, getting tired of standing. She rested her elbow on the bar, leaning her head against the towel-covered ice.

"Che..." Kimbley snorted, pointedly turning his back to Martel again.

Martel paused, and looked over at him after a few moments. "Kimbley," she said thoughtfully. "Why do you still stay around here? You always complain about it."

There was a long stretch of silence as the Crimson Alchemist was thinking. Finally, he shook his head. "I don't know..."

Well, this was somewhere at least. At least he was answering her question. After a moment's silence, Martel dared to ask a second, deeper question, "...Do you care about anyone here? Or is it just a place to stay?"

"..." An empty bottle was set down on the bar counter, followed by another long pause.

"I don't know..."

Martel's verdant eyes surveyed the empty bottle and mused idly, _He's probably as drunk as I am by now..._ She listened to his answer, frowning a little. "Don't know, or won't tell?"

Kimbley muttered something that couldn't be understood and looked at the ceiling. "What's it to you anyway...since when do you care?"

"I'm curious," the chimera replied softly. "I've never really understood why you're here."

"I don't guess I'm entirely sure why I'm here either...so I don't think I could help you on that one..." One hand raised over Kimbley's shoulder in a dismissive gesture, but it was only half-assed.

Martel laid her head down on her arms, the towel positioned between her elbow and her cheek, tilting her head over at the alchemist. "Do you think you've ever cared about anyone?" Questions kept coming, but then again, there was a lot Martel didn't know about Kimbley, and how often would she get a chance to speak with him like this?

"I don't remember..." Kimbley lied through his teeth, and it was starting to get obvious. He could already feel the effects of the alcohol starting to take over his thoughts, and he knew before long there wouldn't be any more excuses.

Martel snickered softly. "I'm drunk, Kimbley, and I can still tell you're lying. Come on."

"Che...drunk and asking too many questions..." The Crimson Alchemist turned back around to face Martel, smug look on his face, or so it seemed really. "What if I don't wanna answer that..."

"Then too bad. You bruised my cheek, I get a free call." She lifted the ice away where a reddish spot had formed, darkening slightly. The chimera smirked.

"You said it yourself you deserved it..." Kimbley shot back, vaguely aware of his hand reaching up to poke the bruised flesh lightly.

Martel pouted at the evasive answer and the poke, practically whining, "Neh, Kimbley, just answer the question. We're both probably too drunk to remember it tomorrow."

"You know how I got these to stay so long?" Avoiding again, Kimbley held up his hands in front of himself, showing the tattoos.

"Because you got a girlfriend somewhere along the line?" Martel said with a light smirk.

"What the hell does that have to do with tattoos..." Kimbley dropped his hands, giving a somewhat annoyed look.

The snake woman laughed softly. "Oh come on. Couples always make each other get tattoos. Maybe she was big on the whole alchemist explosives thing like you."

Kimbley snorted. "There never was a girlfriend! And for your information I inlayed the liquid carbon myself!"

Martel laughed again. "Okay, okay, I give up. I still don't believe you though." She shifted her head on her arms, saying, "So tell me about the tattoos then."

"Normal tattoos wear off if you put them on the palms of your hands, you know? So I used liquid carbon and fused it into the skin through alchemy." Kimbley seemed satisfied, and grinned. "You can feel the difference if you touch it..." He held out one hand, palm up, towards Martel.

Martel blinked, then lifted her head tiredly as she sat up. She reached her hand out, over his palm, and traced her fingers over it the surface. Indeed, it felt different than one would expect, and Martel held out her own hand, tracing it over hers and then Kimbley's for comparison. She moved around the crescent moon shape, and looked up at him. "Can you feel it?" she asked curiously.

"A little...sorta like a loose tooth just barely moves but you can still feel that it's moving..." Kimbley reached out with the other hand and pointed at the tattoo down the side of Martel's neck and her shoulder. "When'd you get yours?"

"In the 5th Laboratory," Martel said softly, tilting her head down to glance at it in an elegant curve of neck. Like red brushstrokes across her collarbone and shoulder, while it was not for fashion purposes, it was still an artful design, and one could see a snake crawling through it.

"Oh yeah...that place...heh...that was fun..." Kimbley sighed at the memory. "First time I got to blow somebody up in a good five years!" Ah, good times, good times.

"Yeah, that place was a real carnival," the snake said, rolling her eyes. "You'd think that they ask any doctor that enters to leave his soul and conscience at the door."

"I didn't know all that...met Greed there though...has some fun blowing stuff up..." Kimbley looked a little too happy for the subject matter...even if it WAS him...

"Is that all you think about?" Martel asked bemusedly, looking over at him. "If you had a journal, would you write things like 'I blew up 12 people today! Go me!'?"

"Probably..." Kimbley grinned, slightly a lopsided grin considering he was drunk, gold eyes looking at Martel only half open.

Martel snickered, a soft, tired sound, shaking her head. She rubbed her forefingers against her temple - exasperated, but amused. "You're very strange, you know that?"

"Look who's talking, serpentine goddess.." Wow. Yes Kimbley. You are fucking drunk.

"Ooh, a goddess now, am I?" she laughed. Yes, only under drunkenness would Martel tolerate a comment like that, from Kimbley no less. "Kimbley, I think to you, anything that has breasts is a goddess." Then again, only her drunkenness would she give such a reply.

"Che...I think you're confusing me with Greed..." The Crimson Alchemist stood, albeit a bit shakily, and leaned forward, one hand on the side of Martel's seat to keep himself up as the other lifted the chimera's chin, causing their lips to meet in a kiss that still tasted a little less than faintly of alcohol.

Martel blinked, her hand slowly bringing the ice down and away from her face. The warmth there right now would probably melt it anyway. She too, tasted of alcohol, but there was a slight bitter, spicy tang to her lips, like the venom of her serpentine cousins (of course, hers wasn't even considered venom). Her dull green eyes watched Kimbley for a few moments, then closed, her luscious, full lips moving softly, slowly against his.

Instinctively, Kimbley leaned forward slowly, causing Martel to lean back...further...further...

And then it was noted perhaps in the backs of both of their minds, that the barstools had no backs.

Martel went crashing down, the back of her head hitting one of the rungs of the stool behind her and leaving her out cold, with Kimbley's face catching a softer landing, right between the chimera's breasts. He was about to say something, when Martel's stool fell over and hit him rather hard on the back of the head, leaving the two of them sprawled there next to the bar in a tangled mess of barstools and bodies, and it sure didn't help matters that Kimbley's face was still nuzzled comfortably in Martel's chest.

Indeed, a very peculiar picture they painted here. An escaped female chimera and a convicted male alchemist (who absolutely loathed each other no less) laid on the ground, both unconscious, one on top of the other, the man with his face hidden between her breasts and the woman with her lips slightly reddened from kissing. Indeed, yes, if anyone were to see them... it would be trouble. Very confusing trouble.

Even more surprising would be the predicament Martel would wake to find herself in. After all, one tends to drool if one is drunk and knocked unconscious, and Kimbley was doing just that, in the worst of places no less.

After several hours, it was Martel who woke. Stuck by a splitting headache, she opened her eyes, and then shut them quickly. The mere dim light of the room made her head throb. Lifting her hand away from her face, she rubbed her eyes and then peeked them open. They took a few moments to get adjusted, and then she sighed. The chimera looked around. How... did I get on the floor? Her chest felt tight, as if something was pressing down on it, and then she realized the warm weight atop it. She blinked, looking down. Black hair. With a ponytail. Wearing red. In her chest. Abruptly, she felt very, very sick. "Kimbley..." she managed to choke out, her voice strained with anger (which was only intensified with her headache). And then she did the best thing she could do. She jammed her knee upwards and into the alchemist's groin.

The Crimson Alchemist was faced with a double dose of pain to wake him up, rolling off of Martel and curling into a fetal position, hands cupped between his legs. That was NOT a fun way to wake up. At. All. Once that initial shock was over, Kimbley became aware of the splitting headache associated with a hangover, as well as the increasingly strong urge to vomit. Insert a string of barely audible curses here, which would have been louder had he not been in extreme pain with a throbbing headache.

Martel growled, sitting upright and reaching over, grabbing his collar. She raised her arm to hit him. "What did you think you were--" She broke off suddenly, her brow furrowing. She clapped a hand over her mouth, and swiftly turned to the side, promptly vomiting.

Well that did it. Kimbley swiftly followed suit in the opposite direction, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand with a groan. "You mind...not talking so loud..." He hissed through his teeth, throat still burning from the acid.

"I'm not the one talking, you are!" Martel hissed, and coughed again, wiping her mouth as well. She reached up, holding onto the bar to pull herself up. She groaned, resting her head in her arms. She had the worst hangover... "Law? Law! Where the hell is the aspirin!?" she yelled. Upon no response, she rubbed her head, stumbling behind the bar and rummaging clumsily for it. After a few moments, she came upon it, dumping a few out into her hand and swallowing them. She let out a breath and ducked against the bar again. Kimbley had escaped her wrath for the moment, but only because her head spun.

Kimbley pushed himself to his feet, leaning heavily against the bar and reaching out his hand in a gesture that obviously said 'I know you're not THAT much of a bitch and YOU know you're not the ONLY one with a hangover headache here, so could you please pass the damn painkillers?'

Martel glanced up at the movement, peering a green eye out at him. She ducked her head back into her arms and pushed the bottle of pills over to him with her palm. She remembered a few things, here and there... Kimbley... Greed... Envy... Kimbley... she remembered kisses and yells, and alcohol. Lots of alcohol. "What the hell happened?" she groaned.

Kimbley quickly swallowed a couple of the pills, rubbing his temples. "Envy...drinking...tattoos...hangover... ." Well, at least it sorta made sense...

She lifted her head, her first two fingers pressed to either side of her temples. Martel gestured with them rigidly before bringing them back. "That doesn't help, Kimbley..." she hissed.

"I was drunk what the hell do you expect..." The Crimson Alchemist was copying her movements and tone of voice, hissing right back.

"Envy was here... as Greed... and he and I..." Martel said slowly, hands over her face, piecing it together with her words. "And then you... were talking, but I don't remember what... I remember your tattoos... but that still doesn't explain why we were on the floor like that..." She thought she knew, but she really, really didn't want to admit it.

"Fuck..." Kimbley remembered now...hazy, due to the alcohol, but he remembered...

Suddenly, the alchemist felt as though he wanted to hurl again, and collapsed back to the floor, under the overhang of the bar, just rubbing his temples as he sat there in the shadows.

"It never happened, agreed?"

"Agreed," the chimera croaked, sounding as if she too would be sick again. Her... and Kimbley? That psychotic, pyromaniac asshole? She shuddered, groaning and rubbing her temples. "If I didn't have such a hangover, and you weren't here, I'd drink myself into oblivion and hope I forgot the last 24 hours..."

"I'd write it off as an alcohol induced dream and blow something up to replace it with fonder memories..." Why did he bother, hell he knew that if they weren't so damn hung over right now they'd be at each other's throats..."Now what..."

"I'm going to settle for sleeping myself into oblivion," she muttered, standing and tripping towards the couch, falling onto it. Martel's face was muffled into the pillow, but she said, "You touch me, and I kill you."

"There's no way in hell I'd touch you by choice unless I was really piss drunk..." Okay time to forget about that incident...Kimbley groaned as the memory resurfaced. That was the last time he ever got drunk around ANYBODY again...Pushing himself up, then pulling himself up, Kimbley curled up on the bar, head buried under his arms to block the light.

Martel couldn't believe it... her... and Kimbley... But not only her and Kimbley, she'd even fallen under Envy's charm. She didn't know how she could have not realized it was him. Her head hurt, not just from the hangover, but also from all the thoughts that were whirring through her mind. She had to sleep it off. She had to. The only ones who would know what happened that night (both between she and Envy and she and Kimbley) had to remain the two of them there now. Envy knew... but she resolved to murder him before he told anyone. The snake chimera shut her eyes tighter, curling up on the couch and holding a pillow over her head. The sun was shining outside now (since it was later in the morning), so no one would come into the bar for drinking at least. Good. She wanted to avoid Greed for now. She decided to ignore the fact that Greed didn't come here to drink. _

* * *

_

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n;


	9. Deceit Comes Knocking

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

Notes for this chapter: Serious plot begins here!

* * *

**Deceit Comes Knocking

* * *

**

**Rating: **PG-13/R (For language, mostly)  
**Pairings: **GreedxChimeras, one sided KimbleyxGreed  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **None.  
**Setting: **Devil's Nest/Dublith.  
**Timeline: **Not long after Ed went splodey.

* * *

Try as he might, Kimbley couldn't get back to sleep. Not because of the light, and not because of the pain, but moreso because he'd been sleeping the past several hours anyway. 

He groaned and sat up finally, giving up on ever getting back to sleep before it was night again. He stretched, head feeling a bit better, the steady breaths from the couch told him Martel must have gotten to sleep, so he did the next thing he could think of aside from randomly blowing her up, and grabbed himself a bottle of something, pulling out the cork and sniffing it first to see if it was any good.

Martel's attempt to sleep wasn't going very well. The anxiety (despite her exhaustion) was keeping her as awake as if she'd drank twenty cups of coffee. She shut her eyes tight, rubbing them a little and lifting the pillow off her head. She glanced over to Kimbley, and said cautiously, "If I took sleeping pills with the asprin and the alcohol, you don't think I'd die or anything, right?"

Kimbley nearly jumped off the bar, barely catching the bottle in hand before it dropped. "Thought you were asleep...che...hell if I know..."

The chimera sighed, and stood shakily. "It's worth a try then, I guess. If I die, you're not included in the will." Her path to the bar was less than straight, and she rifled through their mini-pharmacy under the counter. Finding the bottle, she blinked. There were no pills inside, but what appeared to be a rolled up sheet of paper. Shaking it loose into her palm, she unraveled it and peered at the scrawled words. "Took the last ones, please buy more. Dorochet," she read aloud. "God dammit..." she growled. "Stupid dog."

"Why the hell does he need sleeping pills...dogs are supposed to be lazy..." The Crimson Alchemist took a swig from the bottle, thinking for really less than a moment that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to get drunk while having a hangover...

"I have no idea. He's supposed to walk around in a circle and then he falls asleep, right?" Martel sighed, setting the bottle down and muttering, "Of course not, he has to make things difficult." She ran a hand over her hair, and looked over at Kimbley. Kimbley drinking. She blinked, then rolled her eyes. "You're a fucking moron. It's your problem this time, not mine."

"Che...who cares...it dulls the pain better than painkillers, and a hell of a lot faster anyway..." Kimbley waved a hand nonchalantly.

"You're just going to get -- no, nevermind. It's your fault," the serpentine woman muttered, half to herself, shrugging and shaking her head. Coffee. She needed coffee. And decaf.

Greed pushed through the door, entering the bar like he owned the place. Ah, that's right--he did.

He flopped down on one of the couches, propping his feet up heavily on the low table in front of him. "Ah...good to be home." He turned to smirk at his two subordinates, "did you miss me?"

"And this is different from any other day in that...?" Kimbley sat the bottle down on the counter and gold eyes stared at Martel. Looks like he's got his jackass personality back...and then Greed walked in, and gold eyes were focused on the Homunculus almost scrutinizingly as he stared in silence.

Greed arched an eyebrow at Kimbley's silent appraisel. "I'll take that silence as a 'yes, yes, more than anything, Greed my master'" he smirked nastily, crossing one booted foot over the other.

"Tch...can't be too careful...we had an imposter in here last night...that damn Envy guy...dunno why the hell he was here..." Kimbley waved a hand dismissively as though just tossing the subject out there as he took another drink from the bottle.

Greed blinked at Kimbley's unresponsiveness to his assertion of masterhood. Maybe the alchemist had finally learned his place.

"Envy was here?" Greed asked, mind finally catching up. He looked around "Damn. What'd the little creep want?" he looked at his empty hand and then back over to Kimbley "make yourself useful, why don't you, and get me a drink?"

"Che...drinks...here..." The Crimson Alchemist corked the bottle he had in his hand and tossed it at Greed. Not to, at. He wasn't feeling necessarily responsible at the moment, after all, a hangover is a hangover, and even with more booze and painkillers, his head was still a little hazy.

Greed deftly snatched the bottle out of the air and uncorked it, taking a long pull. He made a face at the bottle, inspecting the label. "Is there a reason you're drinking this shit?" he asked, resealing the bottle and tossing it back.

"Because it tastes better than vomit and was the closest thing I could reach without putting myself within range of another kick to the balls from Martel?" Kimbley shrugged, promptly sliding off the bar and tossing the bottle out the door. Where it did, of course, explode. He felt a little better now.

Greed barked a laugh. "Alright, fair enough." he stared after the now-exploded bottle. "You know, you could try a little harder to not attract attention. Unless you liked prison." He shrugged casually.

"Speaking of Martel, how'd you two get on while I was gone?"

There was a noticeable falter in the alchemist's composure at the words 'get on.' It wasn't a second or two before Kimbley let the door swing shut and sauntered casually once more over to another couch, taking a seat and cracking his neck, man sleeping on the floor was a bitch in the morning. "Fine..." Kimbley made a point to be looking in the other direction as he spoke finally.

Greed raised his eyebrow at Kimbley's behavior. "Ahn? What's this?" he dropped his feet and leaned forward, sharp teeth bared in a grin at the alchemist "why so sulky? Wait...let me guess..." Greed looked around the disheveled bar, at the disheveled alchemist, and smirked "You two had a bit too much fun," he curled his tongue behind his teeth suggestively, " and now you're trying to figure out if she'd prefer chocolates or flowers?"

_That_ got his attention alright. Kimbley's head whipped around, hangover or no that was not something that he was going to just let go, gold eyes narrowed profusely. "Like _hell_, Greed...you know how much we hate each other, and for your information she's got eyes for you anyway." At the last part, a smirk curled the corner of his lips.

But even with Greed, that was edging over the line for a hungover Martel. She had her fingers on her temple again, and she looked up stiffly. "Greed, unless you want a kick in the balls too, I highly suggest you drop the subject."

Greed chuckled "Of course she does. Everyone does." Greed tipped his head to smirk at the chimera "ah, lighten up sweetheart, eh?" he winked at her, then settled back into the couch, plunking his feet back up on the table. "But whatever, I'll let it go. I can see you two are touchy this morning. New love is always stressful like that." he grinned, closing his eyes in mock-restfulness.

Martel narrowed her eyes... touchy indeed. Grabbing a bottle by the neck from behind the counter, she stormed over, and promptly slammed it over the homunculus' head. She knew it wouldn't hurt him, but it'd sure make her feel better. She gritted her teeth, glaring down at him with inhuman green eyes. "Greed, _don't_ push it. Trust me," she hissed.

Greed winced as the glass broke over his head, chuckling as the liquid dripped down his face and soaked the fur ruff of his vest. He stood slowly, brushing the shards off himself, not caring that many of them caught in his hands.

Satisfied with his level of clean, he whipped around and caught Martel by her arm, yanking her forward so that she toppled over the back of the couch. He pressed her face down into the sopping cushion and crouched, putting his mouth near her ear. "Martel, sweetheart, you know I'm very fond of you, and I realize you're very cranky this morning" he stated calmly "But let's not forget who's in charge, yes?" He released her, stepping away to fetch himself a quality drink from the bar.

"So what _did_ you two get up to while I was gone, then?" he asked, turning to lean back against the bar.

She scowled at the treatment, a faint flush on her cheeks, and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. She shook her head and leaned back against the couch, crossing her arms. She wasn't planning to say anything, and if Kimbley did, she'd choke him.

Greed waited, eyebrows raised "If you don't tell me, I'm just gonna make it up for you" he teased "and I think we've already established you don't like it when I do that."

Dorochet came down the back stairs of the bar, rubbing at his eyes -- the pills took care of the nightmares, sure, but they left him feeling like such shit afterward...

The atmosphere in the bar was tense enough to raise the hairs on the back of his neck, to put him on edge. Everyone here_ should_ be on the same side, but it sure as hell didn't feel that way today.

He looked over at Greed, nervous. "What the hell did I miss?"

Martel glanced at Dorochet, frowning a little. "So there's the pill thief," she observed, eager to change the subject. "Good thing you didn't take all the asprin too."

Greed gave Dorochet a sympathetic smile "You can't fault him for wanting to sleep through the night, Martel." he set his glass on the bar, letting their previous conversation drop in favor of something less hostile.

"I'm not," she replied. "What I _am_ faulting him for is this." She got up from the couch and leaned over the bar, pulling out the bottle again and holding up the note. She glanced over at the dog chimera, raising a brow. Indeed, he was like a brother to her, and he had done nothing wrong, so she was considerably less hostile. But she was still very cranky. The chimera sighed tiredly, shaking her head. "Really Dorochet, it's not that hard to just run out and buy some. We do live in a city, you know."

Dorochet sniffed. "Thanks, boss. Just because some people pretend they're over the lab..." He looked at the bottles lined up behind the bar, thought about getting a drink, decided against it. No point making his head feel worse, adding liquor on top of the pills' after-effects.

"I'm sorry about the stupid pills, Martel. I didn't know until yesterday that we only had two left. And...it was the full moon, and I figured you'd rather I took the pills than..." He shrugged uncomfortably. "Than wake people up when the dreams got bad."

"So...nobody's going to tell me what the hell's going on, are they? I come down here and you're all at each other's throats, and then --" he looks at Martel -- "you start snapping at me when I didn't do anything wrong... What gives?"

Martel paused, then sighed. She really didn't need to yell at him, after all. She ran a hand over her hair. "Sorry Dorochet. You're right, and I shouldn't be yelling at you. As for explaination... a lot of stuff happened last night. I got drunk, Kimbley got drunk, Envy caused hell, and now we're both hung over."

"And he just left? Envy did?" Greed cut in, appreciative of Dorochet's seeming ability to calm the other chimera "He didn't say what he wanted or cause any real trouble? Just came and then left?" Greed was mildly suspicious of this. His brother didn't usually drop by for chats..

Martel shrugged. "Yeah. That was it. He acted as you, and I was drunk, so I didn't spot it, and then Kimbley came in and exposed him as Envy, and then he just... left. He didn't cause any real harm I suppose, aside from irritating me. I don't know if he really wanted to do much else; he didn't really look like it."

Greed snorted "Ah, yeah, okay._That_ sounds like Envy." he smiled at Martel "Sorry if he did anything really annoying as me."

He grinned over at Dorochet. "You know, you can always ask me to...help you sleep better.." he leered, winking. "I'm good for nightmares"

Martel rolled her eyes, resting her chin in her palm, smiling a little. "Greed, you _are_ a nightmare. You'd just make it worse." She was quite fond of Greed... she really couldn't stay mad at him for long. And she'd grown to not mind his flirtatious nature for both men and women - it was part of his charm, really. So were things like his casual apologies, similar to the one he'd just made. She forgot he wasn't human all too often.

Dorochet tried to find a grin from somewhere -- God, he felt too slow for this, too awkward to be having this conversation, never mind to have Greed start _flirting_ with him now. "Thanks, boss, but I, ah, I think I have it under control..." Hell, and now he sounded like he was taking it seriously. He needed to have his head examined, if he thought Greed really meant it.

Greed mock-pouted at the chimera "Aw, that's not very nice, love. You'll see; I can be _real_ comforting, if I need to be."

He crossed his legs, leaning more heavily against the bar behind him.

"I'd watch out if I were you, Greed... he'd probably hump your leg during sex," Martel teased, glancing with a playful smirk at Dorochet.

Greed turned a sharp grin at Dorochet, eyes tracing his form. "Oh I dunno...I think he'd be plenty of fun." He shrugged. "But as he said, he can...handle himself fine." Greed smirked, reaching to refil his glass. He loved this game.

Dorochet blushed crimson. "Martel!" It wasn't fair, it really wasn't. She was far too short-tempered for the others to tease her about being cold-blooded, and yet she never missed an opportunity to make fun of them.

...And now Greed wasn't letting up, either. He squirmed, watching the homunculus uncomfortably.

Martel laughed, reaching her arm over and ruffling the chimera's hair. "Nah, we're just teasing." She scratched behind his ears in an attempt to cheer him up. "Does that work?" she laughed.

Oh, now that was more like it... Dorochet leaned into the caress, shivering, grinning despite himself. "Yeah, actually... That's...really nice..."

The snake woman laughed, continuing to rub the sensitive area with her willowy fingers. "Maybe I should buy you a chew toy next time I'm out."

Dorochet laughed, looking over at her, finally feeling like he was really awake and alive again. "That's kind of a personal decision, isn't it? Who -- I mean, what I want to use as a chew toy?"

Martel ran her hand over his head once more before lifting it away, hopping up onto the bar. "I'd go with a Kimbley chew toy, if I was part dog," she said with a smirk. "But you're usually nice to everyone, so... maybe just go with a bone or something."

Greed chuckled at the interaction, crossing the floor to sit on the couch again. "Oh, by the way," he started, looking towards the door "What was with the lovely new addition of color to the front?" he tipped his head at Kimbley, arching an eyebrow "I assume this joker had something to do with it, but was there a reason? Threat?" Greed wasn't worried, but it was always good to keep a sharp watch.

The female chimera shrugged. "Hell if I know. Personally, I'm guessing sheer boredom, because we all know our neighborhood alchemist is a _psycho_." She sighed, shaking her head. "We're going to have to make sure we lay low again. I mean, with him doing stuff like that, and then with Envy coming here and everything... We'll have to start being more careful." She looked over to the homunculus. "Nobody's tried to contact you or anything, right?"

Dorochet stood up, stretching, and looking around at his comrades. It didn't seem like they were going to hear any more about the incident outside, at least not right now, so he might as well see about getting himself some breakfast, or maybe dinner, whatever -- if there was one thing you learned in the military, it was that things could go wrong at any minute, so you had to take care of yourself when you could. "I'm starving. Anybody feel like coming with me to go get some food?"

Martel blinked, looking over to him, and then grinned a little. "I could go for something to eat. Just as long as your idea of food isn't dog chow or something."

The dog boy smirked back. "I promise no dog chow, as long as you're not swallowing whole rats at the table or anything." He looked up at Greed. "How about it, boss? You wanna join us?"

Greed stood as well. "Good idea" he turned to the chimeras "anywhere specific you had in mind?"

Martel looked to Dorochet. "It's your idea; did you have any place you wanted to go?"

He shrugged. "I don't know... There's that noodle place down at the corner; that's pretty good. Unless you've got better ideas. I just haven't eaten since yesterday sometime."

"Noodles are good." Martel was quite fond of noodles, actually. Not so contrary to her companion's beliefs, she didn't find the thought of eating rats horrifying at all, and she'd eaten a few on occasion (mostly just once to show Al that she did). They were rather tasty, actually. And noodles reminded her of the tails. Martel hardly found her reasoning for enjoying noodles disturbing. She was half snake, so it didn't bother her one bit.

Greed clapped his hands, rubbing them together. "Noodles it is." he followed his chimeras out the door, draping an arm over Dorochet's shoulders as they left the bar "and you know, I really would be quite happy to help you sleep anytime you needed it" he purred "a big empty bed can be hell sometimes.."

Martel smirked, shaking her head, glancing at Dorochet. "How much do you want to bet Greed's goal for today is 'get into Dorochet's pants'?"

Dorochet tensed a little as Greed threw an arm around his shoulders. He didn't answer Martel -- the only thing he could think to say was the truth, and God knew he didn't want to admit that in front of Greed: _He could have me any time he gave the order. I belong to him._

"Ah, thanks for the offer, boss... I'll keep that in mind..."

She too fell silent, quietly glancing over at the other chimera. She knew what he thought. She felt the same way about Greed, and she always had. They were his. What he had done for them was a debt that couldn't be repaid, no matter how much she joked that her time was almost up. She'd follow him always, like Dorochet. She didn't care that he thought of them as possessions, that he wasn't human, that he couldn't love. It didn't matter to her. Just so long as she could stay by his side and serve him, she was content, even though nothing meaningful could really happen between them. Martel sighed, tucking her hands in her pockets as they walked outside, and reminded herself not to brood too much.

----------

The Crimson Alchemist, in the meantime, resorted to his usual. Helping himself to the bar while the non-humans were away. It surprised him still to this day that Greed actually ate and drank like a normal human, really. Not as much as it had the first time he'd seen it after learning of the Homunculus' true nature, but still it made him wonder just why and how. Kimbley'd wait for the others to get back, minding his own business, probably catching some peace and quiet staring at the ceiling while he had the chance.

But Kimbley thought to himself then, more than he'd probably thought in a while. The incident with Martel and that other guy, Envy...to say the least, they made him think.

And it was then that Kimbley came to realize, that his reasons for staying weren't so different from those of the snake chimera after all. Despite being entirely able to fend for himself and owing no debt to anyone, knowing that he could leave any time he wanted, the Crimson Alchemist was still here.

Kimbley was still here for the same reason that Martel was...albeit slightly different in the sense that he wasn't indebted to service. They were both here because of Greed.

_Because of some uncontrollable compelling force that attracted them to him._ The man who wasn't really a man at all, heartless, inhuman, but even someone so cold and insane as Kimbley was struck by that damn _charm. _

No matter how many times he had the pleasure of transmuting Greed into an explosive substance, the man wouldn't go away...and Kimbley found himself oddly comfortable and intrigued by this. He _liked_ it...it's not every day you run across somebody you can blow up and then talk to them casually like nothing happened, after all. Despite being one of seven, Greed certainly was one of a kind.

Kimbley sighed to himself and clenched his fists, scowling. He'd formed some kind of twisted dependancy and god damnit he knew it too. And he _hated_ it.

Ever since the fifth laboratory, ever since he first saw that damn Homunculus... Sure, Kimbley didn't owe anything to Greed...and Greed had no real grip on Kimbley... But that didn't change much really at all.

Kimbley was still here, and that in itself was playing in Greed's favor. His presence here simply said to Greed, 'Yes, you _do_ own me,' and Kimbley knew it. He told himself he could leave at any time, that he had nothing tying him down here. But it was a lie.

He couldn't leave whenever he wanted to, as many times as he'd tried he couldn't do it. Of course, only Greed knew that, as Kimbley was too proud to let it be publicly known that he was just another pet. As it stood, he supposed that's what he was. Greed's little human pet. And he _HATED_ it. Hated himself for it...

It was no surprise then, really, that when a young man wandered into the bar that night that the Crimson Alchemist decided he wanted to know what it was like to _own_ rather than to _be_ owned. But the boy had run away...and Kimbley was just Greed's personal alchemist again.

Tattooed hands clasped together in front of him on the bar, as he'd moved from his spot from the time he'd begun thinking, without even realizing it. His forehead rested against the cradle made by thumbs and forefingers, and Kimbley closed his eyes. He'd known for a long time now...that explosions weren't the only things he thought about all the time...

----------

Greed pushed open the door to the noodle shop, holding it for his companions, then stepped in after them. He glanced around, taking things in, then pointed to the waitress scuttling about on the floor.

"Go ahead and order, find a place to sit. I'll be right there." He grinned widely then sauntered over to the cashier, ready to charm them some free food. It wasn't that they were strapped for cash, or anything remotely close to it, but it was more fun and a certain point of pride for him to earn them their meals like this.

Well, hell, as long as Greed was doing his thing -- Dorochet recognized that smile, had seen how easily it destroyed people's willpower, plenty of times -- he might as well get a double order, no, make that a triple order, of the pancit they did here that he liked so much. It was just too good not to, when he had an opportunity like this.

"So," he said to Martel, "you have any plans for tonight?"

"Tonight?" she asked, a little startled from her reverie. She looked over at Dorochet, pulling out a chair at one of the tables and taking a seat. "Hn... well, I'm not planning on staying home, that's for sure. After last night, I'm not exactly dying to stay there," she answered, shrugging. She didn't seem entirely hostile about the subject now, probably since her hangover had worn off, and she was only around Dorochet at the moment. Dorochet was like a brother to her, so she felt comfortable confiding in him. While with Greed... she often found herself getting flustered (be it embarrassed or angry) when such a topic came up. Greed _did_ have a tendancy to inflame strong emotions in her, no doubt because of her feelings for him. Dorochet however was much easier to talk to, especially since they had been through many of the same things. It was hard to stay mad at him for long, like with Greed. But with the chimera, it was because he was like her brother, but with Greed, it was because of his amazing ability to attract her.

_There was an extremely light noise, very faint, of delicate footfalls slowly crossing the roof of the noodle shop. Typically one wouldn't even hear them above the sound inside._

_A cattish looking girl in a straight jacket stumbled down the dark street, wild hair falling down around her shoulders. She looked up, dazed, and obviously a chimera of some sort... Then her head hung down again and she resumed her blind, broken walk, if it could even be called that._

_Curious..._

_There was a soft sound of the fluttering of fabric, scuffing of boots on pavement, and a slightly louder landing on the roof of the noodle shop once more._

_There was no sight in the street of a blundering chimera now. The girl had been scooped up by a boy of about sixteen, or so he looked that way. A clawed hand clasped over the girl's mouth to keep her from crying out and revealing their location. In the meantime, the male chimera was looking around and keeping an eye out, despite the fact that his eyes were hidden completely behind a pair of dark sunglasses. There was a rushed and severely hushed whisper issued to the girl, like an order, as he moved his hand from her mouth and signalled silence._

_She looked up, her eyes half-closed (or half-opened, depending on whether you were an optimist or a pessimist), but still open enough to reveal her almost-reverse eyes. The female chimera wasn't all too sure of what was going on, but she took it in stride. It couldn't be much worse than where she had been before... could it?_

_The red-haired chimera put his ear to the roof material, listening to what was going on inside as best he could. From what he could tell...there was eating of course...but there was one voice that stood out more than the others...one that sent chills down his spine. That must be the one he had heard of...the Homunculus..._

_Her dead-looking eyes shifted to see the roof, then to the boy with the side of his head against it. One of her ears twitched, listening. Some sort of food... Dear Azathoth, was she ever hungry. She hadn't had anything to eat since she'd escaped, and even then, entrails weren't the most filling of all the foods... Sure, an arm and a leg could tide you over for a while, but one can only survive off that sort of thing for so_ long_. Running a black tongue over her matching lips (natural, of course... what did you think, there was make-up at the institution?), she wondered if there was anything writhing to be had._

_He listened still...two other voices there that struck him as unusual...one he didn't like the sound of at all...made the little hairs on the back of his neck stand up, but out of some primal instinct rather than fear, the voice wasn't frightening at all, it was just the way it felt...he could smell it too...smelled like dog...he didn't like that..._

_The other...female...more...what was it...reminded him almost of...ah, yes...snake...and by the sound of it, with a bite to rival his own. This might be harder than he'd planned..._

_Blinking first one eye, then the other, the female chimera lifted a shoulder to scratch her cheek, moving her glasses just a bit. Mmm, yes, food, that's what she was thinking about. In her state, she felt almost drugged. Hopefully not really, or else that might mean they were coming back for her... Yech, and what a day _that_ would be._

_Then again, she never did get that _left_ leg off of Dr. Ward..._

_Blood red, furry tail twitched, matched his hair...snakes...right...snakes could feel vibrations of steps transferred through the ground...shit..._

_Eyes darted to the other chimera...shit...clumsy fool what was she thinking!_

_She turned her head slowly to look at him, eyes still looking drugged. The chimera tilted her head to one side. He was looking very angry with her, and just at their first visit? Well, it was bound to happen..._

_Oh dear, what if she had eaten his uncle... Then again, she hadn't seen any red tails where she had come from. Well, from anyone she'd eaten, anyway. Oh dear, oh dear._

_He crouched down low, laying so that his body was even with the roof's surface. Covered in black cloth, he was hard to spot if you weren't really looking for him. One hand lifted to tell the other chimera to hide behind the smokestack, out of view, and quickly._

_Well, at least she could be quiet when she needed to be. The female chimera slipped behind the smokestack as if she were a shadow herself, then turned her head in case the boy had any other directions._

_Maybe she _hadn't_ devoured his next of kin after all if he was helping her like this. Then again, he wasn't really giving off any of those "helping vibes"... Well, whatever. He was paying attention, even if he wasn't afraid of her._

_She willed her stomach not to rumble, for fear of giving away her new (non...?)companion. Mmm, his right arm there was starting to look really tasty about now... Maybe with some fava beans... But she silenced the thought quickly, considering he probably knew where the hell they were and she, herself, did not in the least._

Martel wrinkled her nose. She couldn't smell or hear the other chimeras, but she sure as hell could feel them. While absolutely nothing quivered on the table or counter, she could feel a buzzing vibration pulse through her, thanks to her serpentine instincts. The movement was clumsy, disorderly, and she frowned, glancing away from Dorochet and then outside. "What's going _on_ out there?" she muttered cautiously, standing. Moving towards the door, she pushed it open and carefully watched the street. A girl, stumbling along, looking quite wretched really. Martel started, and felt herself chill with a shudder. She knew those eyes. Eyes of a chimera. Eyes that had barely seen light for years, and too much of other, much less pleasant things. Eyes that no matter how much they smiled, could not hide the torture seen. The snake chimera felt an overwhelming sense of sympathy. She knew what it felt like. But this one apparently hadn't adjusted as well. Letting the door to the noodle store chime silently shut, she slowly stepped towards the street. She knew Dorochet would pick up the scent of the disoriented chimera, just as she had sensed the vibrations of her steps. But she hoped he'd follow only after Martel had established herself as a friend to this stranger... or if the stranger established herself as an enemy.

Martel blinked when she caught the movement of the girl, seeing her move behind the smokestack. She blinked, and frowned a little. That certainly wasn't going to keep Martel away so easily. She kept her pace slow, unthreatening, and stepped around the back of the smokestack, lifting an arm. "Hey."

_Didn't seem threatening...in that case..._

"Hey..."

There came a male voice from the rooftop behind the apparently serpentine chimera, and the lightest of vibrations was sent through the ground as his feet touched gravel behind her. One hand signalled to the feline, motioning for her to come to his side, as he looked this new face up and down from behind dark sunglasses that hid his eyes completely from view.

The spotted chimera's eyes, partially hidden behind her wavy, black hair, opened wide in suprise, her back hitting the smokestack lightly as she gave a start. The cattish chimera's almost-reverse eyes dashed all around. Who was this girl? She smelled... snakish... Not human (and definitely _not_ a Dr. Ward... yech, he had smelled _awful_), but not really a reptile, either. Something more like the others that she had seen in the institution...

She turned her head towards the male chimera, still regarding the snakish one with a sideways glance. Maybe she could be trusted, but maybe she couldn't... There was no lie in those eyes, but she had thought that before, too. The cattish chimera inched towards boy with the red hair.

Then again, she was in a straight jacket, and there wasn't going to be a whole lot of waving back...

Martel looked them up and down with her dark green eyes, surveying them and summing up their features. The girl was of course disoriented, and with the straightjacket, she couldn't do much harm if she got angry, unless she could transform, like Law. The boy however... he could be a problem if he was to get angry. But she didn't want enemies out of them. They'd been through the same sort of thing. She nodded slightly. "I'm Martel. Looks like we're in the same boat."

The tone of her voice sounded alright... And she _did_ sound like she meant what she said.

The cattish chimera swallowed once, licked her lips with her black tongue, then opened her mouth, speaking with a voice that sounded as though it had either not been used very much or had been strained heavily.

"I am...Decay...and it is... nice to...meet...you..." She spoke haltingly, as if searching for the words in the air around her.

"Nn..." The boy reached up, clawed hands snatching off the sunglasses to reveal one emerald green eye, the other with a scar that covered it, leaving it blank and a dull white. Tucking the sunglasses away, he nodded. "Ashton...perhaps moreso than you think even...Ishbar war, am I correct?" His tail waved from side to side slowly, hands shoved in the pockets of a beat up trenchcoat.

Martel nodded slowly to each in turn. As for Decay... perhaps she had been an Ishbal citizen taken captive. Martel couldn't really recall her face. She glanced at Ashton, peering at him for a few moments. Perhaps she remembered him... "What rank were you?" she asked.

"Special operatives section 6..." Rakai's tail twitched slightly...something nearby...it was probably the dog that was making him edgy.

--------

Greed tapped the edge of the table with his fingers, sipping at the drink he'd ordered-and-most-certainly-not-paid-for.

"Where's Martel?" He asked disinterestedly. "Her noodles are getting cold." With a shrug, Greed reached over and snagged her bowl. If she wanted the food when she returned, he'd get her a new one.

He looked up to watch Dorochet consume his going-on-third noodlebowl like he hadn't eaten in weeks and grinned "You know, it's quite possible that we _will_ be eating again. You don't have to eat like it's your last meal." Greed pointed at the chimera with his chopsticks--and several traditional patrons gasped at the taboo--then resumed eating Martel's food.

-------

Decay tilted her head to one side. Something about a dog... Her brother had been a dog, hadn't he? She couldn't remember much, anyway, so it was useless to think about.

Now _food, that_ was something worth pondering. Her ears twitched as she wondered if there was some sort of human she could make into a sandwich right about now... Or, really, she could just skip the bread. Mmm...human... She flicked out her tongue to catch a stray bit of saliva that was trying to make its way away from her.

"Section 6?" the serpentine chimera repeated, and frowned. She leaned towards the shop entrance, yelling, "Dorochet! Hey, Dorochet! C'mere!"

--------

Dorochet grinned at Greed. "Yeah, I'm sure we'll get a chance to eat again _eventually_. But I'm hungry _now_." And the food was good here, damnit. "Martel went outside. What she thought was so important that it couldn't wait, I don't know."

He looked up at Martel's shout, pausing. "What's up?"

--------

The more human of the feline chimeras turned, following the dog scent that he picked up from inside the noodle shop and slipping inside to observe. Forgetting to replace his sunglasses, Ashton received several astonished and frightened stares at the dull, white eye, to which he returned the finger.

Decay turned to watch Ashton walk into the shop and wondered what that was he was doing with his hand whenever he got those odd stares... It looked familiar, but... Oh well. Surely she would think of it one of these days.

Now back to the food... What about with some cheese? She'd never tried that before...

Martel frowned a little, and then glanced at Decay. "Follow me," she ordered, leaping down to the ground again and jogging after Ashton. "Hold up!" she called. Once inside, she glanced to Dorochet, gesturing to Ashton and Decay. "If you can't smell something familiar about them, get your nose checked," she said, shrugging and shaking her head.

Decay slipped to the ground (on the borderline of clumsy, but come on, she's sort of been denied the use of her upper apendages) and follwed Martel inside, trying to figure out what in the world that odd finger gesture meant. She thought she had an idea, though, considering the looks Ashton was getting after he did it...

A clawed hand reached into Ashton's pocket and placed the sunglasses back in their spot to cover his eyes, which were now narrowed profusely in irritation with these people.

Dorochet nodded. "Wouldn't take a chimera to know those aren't human," he pointed out, gesturing with his chopsticks. "They're nobody I know, though -- what are they doing here?"

Martel jerked her head over at Ashton. "He's from Section 6. Her, I don't--hey, my noodles!" she exclaimed, catching the sight of Greed's stolen noodles. She scowled, snatching the bowl back and her chopsticks.

Ashton stepped up, leaning down and peering at Dorochet, upper lip curling slightly as his nose wrinkled and he backed away. "Dog...I knew it..." Clearing his throat, he adjusted his sunglasses. "I'm not sure but the kid's with me now...picked her up on the way here so to speak...thing I didn't mention was when I said section six I meant in the previous war...Bet you didn't know they went back that far...well...maybe he did..." The red-headed chimera gestured at Greed. "He's the reason I'm here..."

Decay moved her head around to help get rid of that horrible ache in her neck. She compromised with a hunched position and watched the others talk. Ishbar... Sounded familiar, but, like that weird little gesture, was not quite within her grasp. Oh well.

Martel blinked, and tensed a little, holding the bowl with one hand now, an arm resting casually at her shoulder, just near her knife. If there was a threat to Greed, she was ready for it. "What do you want with him?" she asked quietly.

"A few words and possibly a deal...but I'll speak no more of it here...the girl and I will return to your place of residence for the night and hopefully you'll show some hospitality and provide a place to sleep...we'll talk of this in the morning...but not until then...I have too much to think about..."

And with that, the feline chimera boy was silent, eyes watching the happenings from behind dark glasses.

Greed smiled beautifically at Martel, letting her reclaim her food with a tiny shrug. Not like he actually _needed_ to be eating.

He sat back in the booth, watching the spectacle these new strangers made with an amused sort of disinterest. At the rude one's comment about the dog, his eyebrows furrowed and he sat forward slightly. His expression got even darker as he was indirectly referred to.

"Ah? Well, you could at least bother to introduce yourself properly then. You were at least _raised_ by humans? Taught you some manners?" he snorted, leaning back again. "And if you've got a problem with Dorochet, you can take it up with me." Sharp teeth flashed in a smile that was more of a threat "he's one of my trusted team members. Who the hell are you?" Greed asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'd be careful about requesting things," Martel said, frowning a little and setting the bowl down. "We don't have any idea who you are, really. Would you let a stranger into your home?" She glanced at Greed, and nodded in agreement. "And insulting our comrade doesn't help very much."

Dorochet glanced over at Martel with a grin. "I didn't know you cared." He waited, apparently relaxed, ready for any order Greed had to give. Especially the kind that involved teaching this trash some manners the messy way.

She grinned, putting a hand to her forehead and sighing. "Ah, dogs. Great companions, not observant," she teased. But of course, it was all in good fun, like usual.

Martel looked over to Ashton. "Now then. You've been rude, but you haven't shown entirely hostile actions. We can deal with you, but..." She shrugged, looking to Greed and Dorochet. "I for one don't want him at home with us. You two?"

Greed sniffed "Not with an attitude like that. I don't need trouble makers. Or dependents" he jerked his thumb at the one in the straightjacket, then turned to face the two new-comers. "I'd like to help you, kids, I would. But I'm not a social worker. I only take people if they have something to offer." Greed picked up his glass and swirled it around, the ice clinking against the glass.

"Hell, Greed, even if they have something to offer, I don't think you can trust them." Dorochet stared at the rude one, almost challenging. If he was going to get treated like he was nothing but an animal, fine. He'd be what they expected. "Being fused with a dog might not be _glamorous_, but at least a dog's loyal. Cats, on the other hand... Cats don't care about anyone but themselves."

Martel glanced over at her friend, and nodded in agreement with what he said. Then, she looked back to the other chimeras. "Listen. You can probably find someplace to stay around here. But don't bother us. Getting into trouble isn't our first priority, all right?" She leaned over, slurping up the last of her noodles, and then walked towards the door, putting a hand on Ashton's shoulder as she left, saying quietly, "We can't trust you, but we look out for kindred spirits. The girl doesn't look like she's able to survive on her own. Take care of her." She looked over her shoulder at Greed and Dorochet, and nodded. With that, she stepped outside, tucking her hands into her pockets to wait for them.

Greed stood as well, pausing at the Rude One's shoulder, not bothering to look down to make eye contact. "If whatever you have to say to me is so important, I suggest you re-think your approach. You can't bully your way into getting what you want all the time."

He pushed open the door and held it, waiting for Dorochet. Turning his head to look at Martel, he grinned "Never a dull moment, eh sweetheart? This is what we get for being so damn popular."

Dorochet couldn't help grinning as he left, nodding his thanks at Greed for holding the door. That had turned out pretty well after all. "Where to next, boss? I don't wanna head home and just have the little bastards follow us back..."

Martel paused in thought for a minute, and then grinned. "How about showing them what we're made of? We could have a 'casual' training session in that warehouse a few blocks down. It's pretty big. We could lose them there, and if they even see us, they'll know what they're dealing with. We could split up afterwards. There are three of us and two of them. I can feel them coming, and Dorochet can smell them. How about it?" she offered, shrugging.

Greed nodded. "We could, but I don't want you two being worn out in the event that those jokers actually try and pose a threat." He glanced over his shoulder at the noodle bar. "Not that I think they'd be any real trouble, but your energy could probably be put into something more...productive" Greed leered at his chimeras, then winked. "What say we just try and lose them?"

"Following your lead, boss." There was a part of Dorochet that hoped the strangers _would_ come start something, just so they could fight things out, get it over with. But the rest of him -- the rational part, the human logic -- was happy to just let it go, to have a chance to go out and do something with the evening. "Too bad there isn't more to do in this damn town."

The snake chimera shrugged, sighing. "I suppose we could grab a train out of town, but..."

"Isn't that like conceeding defeat? I said 'lose them' not 'turn tail and run'" Greed crossed his arms, thinking. "They're just a bunch of punk kids, after all. I just don't want them underfoot."

"I was more implying as to Dorochet's complaint of there being a lack of entertainment around here. If we want to lose them, I'd be happy to run a few laps around the city," she said with a shrug. "I haven't gotten out enough lately anyway."

---------

Heh...just as expected...a grin worked its way onto the cat's face and he swiftly released the clasps that held the straight jacket together, letting the less human chimera's arms free. In another blink of an eye two guns were drawn from within the tattered trenchcoat, bullets put through the heads of four unsuspecting bystanders. People that leered like that pissed him off...

"Have yourself something to eat...you're with me now, kid...maybe he'll be up for an alliance of some sort...but I'll be damned if I get treated like a pet..."

The feline ran his tongue over slightly elongated fangs, smirking. This would indeed be entertaining...surely they'd heard the gunshots, even if he'd used a silencer the dog would've heard, so he didn't bother.

"Clean up good, I'll keep an eye out..."

And with that Ashton stepped outside of the bar, not even flinching as the remaining customers fled past him with horrified looks and screams. It was all part of training. All part of things he'd done and seen before. It was all in a day's work, really.

---------

Greed opened his mouth to reply, but was cut short by the echo of gunshots and the following screams. Greed sighed and pursed his lips together as frightened customers pushed past him in their attempts to flee.

"Poor kids" he smirked "Not gonna make it, with an approach like that. They're practically screaming for attention." He turned to look at his chimeras "I don't think he knows at all how to get what he wants. For instance, we can eat there every goddamn night if we want," Greed placed his hand on his chest and looked rather pleased with himself for a moment "for free. They, on the other hand, will never get within twenty feet of this building again. There are only so many places to eat in this city."

He turned, walking off, knowing the other two would follow "But I don't feel like hanging around to meet the military tonight. I don't think they'll be very impressed with some punk kid trying to force a place for himself, and I don't want to get caught taking sides."

Dorochet laughed softly as he followed. "You'd think he'd have more sense. Hell, the last thing I'd want if I looked that freakish would be to give people _more_ reasons to hunt me down."

He followed Greed down the street, away from the noodle shop and away from the Devil's Nest -- if the military didn't take him down first, that kid would be coming to bother them again, and they wouldn't want to have that fight at home.

---------

His tail flicked suddenly, and his head whipped to the side. "Hn...the newer breeds aren't quite as brutal as we were designed to be I see...they're more human..." Ashton sighed slightly and ran clawed fingers through his hair. "Make tracks when you're done...I'll find you again...in the meantime I've got business to take care of..."

There was the swish of fabric as he turned and left the shop, disappearing across the rooftops.

Not long after, a vaguely familiar figure stepped out of an alleyway, running an entirely human hand through messy blood red hair, that soon fell back in place to cover his left eye, right eye an emerald green that was complimented by his hair. With a light sigh, the boy, devoid of anything that would make him stand out and be recognized for much back there, started to walk down the street in the direction he knew that the other chimeras had gone.

Cuffs jingled at his wrists, and the chains on his loose black pants chinked together as he walked. A sleeveless black shirt tightly fit his upper body, while there was no trenchcoat to be seen, as well as no tail. There was nothing unusual about the boy at all, really, and even when he yawned, his teeth were no different from a normal human.

His step was a bit shuffling, tired, as though he'd been walking it too long. A pair of dog-tags hung around his neck, and he opened his palm to look down at the onyx inlaid in the skin. Useful sometimes, that it was.

---------

What the hell was taking them so long! They were just going out for lunch after all...oi...probably forgot about him...

It wasn't that Kimbley really minded the quiet time or the fact that the others probably forgot he was here, or were just ditching him, not at all. It was more along the lines that Kimbley could only brood for so long. And he'd reached his limit about three hours ago.

That being said, the Crimson Alchemist rose from his seat at the bar, shaking his head at the neglegence of his so called comrades, and was about to go to bed, when he heard gunshots...

Well...this could be interesting after all! Smirk in place, Kimbley proceeded to hunt down the source of said gunshots, in hopes of having something to blow up and get his mind off of the only other thing he really thought of. Or perhaps he'd run into the others and then bitch at them for staying out so long. Either way, it would prove to be entertaining. They had been going for noodles, hadn't they? Ah...that would be the direction to look.

The burgundy wearing black haired man stepped out of the bar and, hands pocketed, began to walk down the street in the direction of the noodle shop, which just so happened also to be the direction of the gunshots.

----------

Dorochet glanced over at Greed and Martel as they walked toward the center of town, taking broad streets with plenty of light, headed toward more human company, all three of them seemingly with not a care in the world. "This won't come as any surprise to you, but Rude and Poncy is still following us. Some people, for lack of a better word, just can't seem to take a hint."

Greed laughed, not bothering to look back. "Oh, I'm surprised." he said, sounding anything but. "Damn, he really must want to talk to me. " Greed grinned as they weaved their way through the slight-but-still-existant nightcrowd. "I hope he doesn't think that I'll stop and listen if he starts shooting again. What do you think?" he tipped his head at Dorochet "Lose him, or just put an end to it now and put him out of all our miseries?" Greed narrowed his eyes, grin gone hungry.

"Or maybe you just need to quit being so paranoid long enough to let a guy at least explain his actions..." Ashton hadn't taken long to catch up, that having been what he was trying to do after all. "I'm not here to pick fights..." He held out his hands, palm up, to show he wasn't hiding anything, not even the alchemic array on his right palm, or the fact that he had changed appearances to be more human, not even hiding his eyes, though his hair took care of the left. "Leave if you want...I won't follow you home, I've got my own pride..."

Dorochet grinned back, Greed's attitude contagious. The alpha wanted to fight, and that made his heart beat faster, made him want, too -- want to fight, want to kill, and other things that he didn't dare think about too closely... "I'm game for a fight. I don't care how spooky he is, he's no match for us together."

Greed arched an eyebrow and half turned back to face their follower. "You didn't seem too keen on just explaining yourself before. You seemed more interested in making demands and setting yourself up as some sort of badass. Hate to break it to you, kid," he smirked and tipped his head at his companions "But we're a little difficult to impress. Sooner or later you grow up and things don't seem as impressive as they do when you're still in short pants." He grinned, reaching out casually to pat the boy on the head. "When you're ready to talk with adults, then I'll see what I can do for you."

There was a light scoff as Ashton raised his right arm against the Homunculus' wrist, pushing the hand off of his head. "I'm not a kid...no more a child than you are human..."

Greed bared his teeth at the child in a mockery of a smile, "You're only as old as you act, boy. Didn't you know?"

Relaxing his posture, Greed placed a hand on his hip and looked down at the young chimera over the top of his sunglasses. "Now, if you had anything important to say, I suggust you do so now. I'm being generous."

"Aah...I can't say how the rudimentary experiment got here, but as for myself I've been keeping an eye on you for quite some time...since before those two even knew what a chimera was." His head tilted to gesture towards the dog and the snake. "Lost track of your movements some time before the Ishbar war, though...so my information sources ran dry. Sad to say, out of my corps from back then I was the only one to make it, you guys are lucky to have a group of at least three..." In the meantime, Ashton had shifted on his heels to get a bit more comfortable.

"I crossed paths with Envy a while back, I'm pretty sure you know him, right? He is after all one of your kind..." He pointed at the Oroburos on the back of the man's hand, and then rubbed the back of his head slightly. "Aah...forgive my former crudity, it's been a while since I've had to act my age so to speak...blending in and all..."

Greed arched an eyebrow. "I don't appreciate being lied to. Try again."

"It's the same thing I tell everyone you know...but fine..." Rakai slowly traced over the array on his right palm, placing two fingers to it as his form regenerated to its more animalistic state, and he cracked his shifted jaw a bit. "You could call me a failed experiment, or a successful one if you see it that way...probably can't even call me a halfling for that matter...maybe more a prototype...like a mix between you and them..."

The feline chimera lifted his shirt to show the tattoo, similar to the Oroburos, but slightly different in that several parts were missing. "If you don't believe me, you can always just go ask Dante herself...if she's still around at least..." There was an undeniable sincerity in the one eye that showed. If he was still lying, even a lie detector wouldn't have been able to pick it up.

Greed stared. Then continued staring.

"Just to be clear..." he started, motioning for Dorochet and Martel's attention, so they could help him sort facts "You look like you're about 16" he ran his eyes up and down the boy's body "Dress like no one I've ever seen, you're clearly a chimera, but not, because you're apparently also...half of a failed transmutation?" He arched an eyebrow, still trying to sort all these fact through his head. "So as it stands you're some sort of cross between me, Law, and Kimbley." he pointed at the array on the boy's hand. "And you were in the Ishbal war, which is about when you lost track of me, irregardless of the fact that Envy--who you so casually mention in passing--had me locked up underground by near to a century by that point." Greed chuckled mirthlessly and looked at his companions. "You must not have been looking very hard."

Turning back to the boy, he snarled "Sorry, but your time line just does fit up with the way things actually happened. You can't logically be and have done everything you claim. "

Dorochet grinned. "Naw, boss, the war _before_ the one we were in. All those years, and still no subtlety."

Greed squinted "There were two wars?" he shrugged "Wait, how many Ishbals were there? And how do you know the Fullmetal Alchemist?" Greed turned to address the chimeramonculus.

"If my records are a bit off I apologize for that, my memory's been degrading for a while now...I can't recall where or when exactly I'm from either...I just know it was a long time ago...too long..." Ashton sat on the ground, massaging his temples as he tried to think. "Damn...not exactly half...more like a few of the early ones tossed in a pot and stirred, I got what came out of it so to speak...leftovers...kinda like that new Wrath kid has the Fullmetal's arm and leg...I've...gotten around quite a bit...gathered as much information as I could..."

--------

The alchemist walked further down the street, having peeked into the noodle shop and nearly lost what little he'd had to put in his stomach that day, in search of Greed and the others. Around the corner...and...there, in the distance...and Kimbley simply voiced his thoughts without realizing it.

"Who the hell is that guy?"

-------

Greed tilted his head. "So...you're chimeramonculus soup?" He grinned, feral, hungry and mocking "Can I eat you?"

"...I prefer to just be called a chimera...it's not like I'm actually a soulless shell like you and your brethren..." Ashton decided to just not answer that second question...this whole thing was getting a bit out of hand, and damnit if he didn't get the feeling he was being sneered down at...god that pissed him off...

Greed winced, putting a hand to his chest "You wound me, kid, you really do" he smirked. "But, confusing time jumps and history re-writes aside, I didn't hear one bit of information in your spiel that indicated you could be any use to me." With a final tilt of his head, Greed turned on his heal and started back down the street, hands tucked casually into his pockets.

Dorochet followed Greed, glancing over at him, holding back a smile. "You had me worried there for a minute, boss. I almost thought that was going to go on all night."

"Che..." The alchemist kicked at the gravel, and picked up a few pebbles, hurling them with precise aim directly at the retreating head of black hair rimmed with white fuzz. He crossed his arms after that, irritated look set on his face.

Greed grinned over at Dorochet "Nyaah, I've got better things to do. I don't need trouble makers or confused pups in my pack, right?" He reached over to ruffle Dorochet's hair.

"Shit..." Ashton turned his head in time to see a red-clad man hurl a couple of stones...something different about them though...and without a second thought two bullets were fired, colliding with each other in close proximity to the thrown rock, detonating along with the stones. "Hmm...thought so..."

Dorochet grinned back, leaning into the touch helplessly. "Mmm, right. Aah..." He didn't mean to be responding, didn't mean to be nearly whining at the touch, but praise was praise, and being rewarded for his loyalty...by someone like Greed, especially...was wonderful...

Kimbley's left eye was twitching now...kid reminded him of the military...

And what the hell was he thinking detonating those little things, it wasn't like they'd _hurt_ Greed or anything...tch...

"OI! _FORGETTING_ someone here!?" But what was more annoying, was that they seemed to be IGNORING him!

Greed half turned, the smile sliding off his face to be replaced with a confused look. "Ah?" he tipped his head, hand still in Dorochet's hair "Oh, Kimbley...where did you come from? I thought you stayed at the bar?" he shrugged, and motioned with one hand. "Well, come then. If you don't want to be forgotten, don't leave yourself behind. You aren't a child, I shouldn't have to invite you, right?" he smirked at his alchemist, attempting to leave for the third time.

Kimbley sneered slightly as he walked past the unkempt chimera, kicking a bit of dust at him. "Mind your own business, kid..."

Catching up with Greed and the others, he shot a glare at the Homunculus. "Well I _thought_ you guys were just going to _eat_...not pick up some trigger-happy alley cat and walk around the city for the rest of the afternoon...you could've _said_ something you know...just to be considerate at _least_ I know you've done it before..." Hands were shoved back in his pockets as he kept up the pace, slightly behind the chimeras.

"Aww, I'm sorry sweetheart" Greed cooed, turning quickly to give Kimbley a peck on the cheek. "I'll be sure to call home and let you know next time me and the boys are gonna be late, okay? Tell the kids daddy loves them for me." he smirked at the alchemist. "It's not like we were _trying_ to meet up with them, you know. When someone obsessively stalks you, you don't have much of a choice in the matter."

The feline chimera took one more glance over his shoulder towards the retreating group and scowled. "I'm not somebody you should make an enemy of...but if I'm not with you then I'm with them...and if that's the case, the next time we meet will be the last..." Ashton's voice was low, barely audible at that distance, if at all, seeing as really he was speaking more to himself than the others, as he turned in the direction of the shop and left.

All there was to do now was pick up Decay and be on their way...finally say goodbye to this little town...

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	10. Deceit Comes Knocking II

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

Notes for this chapter: Continuation on previous chapter, split for weird reasons I forgot.

* * *

**Deceit Comes Knocking II

* * *

**

**Rating: **PG-13/R (For language, mostly, implied sexual activities)  
**Pairings: **GreedxChimeras, one sided KimbleyxGreed  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **None.  
**Setting: **Devil's Nest/Dublith.  
**Timeline: **Not long after Ed went splodey.

* * *

Dorochet clapped a hand over his mouth and tried very hard not to laugh at Kimbley's expression. Antagonizing strangers was bad enough -- Kimbley was supposed to be on their side, so he would at least try to keep the peace. Didn't make it any less funny, though. 

The Crimson Alchemist scowled at the words and made a mock display of wiping his cheek with the back of his hand. "Che...whatever..." Hand back in his pocket again, Kimbley shot another glare at the Homunculus. "Call me sweetheart again and I'll blow that smirk off your face..."

"You don't wanna be my sweetheart?" Greed asked, smirking lightly "Alright, alright." he conceeded "you're not my sweetheart. You could never be my sweetheart. There is nothing in you that even remotely resembles someone who would be my sweetheart." He hooked his arm around Kimbley's waist, the other mirroring the action around Dorochet's. "Shall we off to home then, boys?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at Martel and Dorochet "How about it, home now," he swiveled his head to look at Kimbley "sweetheart?"

"Yeah, sure," Dorochet said, wrapping an arm around Greed in return, trying to keep it casual -- and trying not to touch Kimbley any more than he had to. "Take us home." He grinned. "Daddy."

For a good three seconds, Kimbley was seriously considering removing his hands from his pockets, and for a good ten more, he was debating on which part of Greed's body he'd transmute into a bomb this time...

"Ch..." He didn't bother satisfying that with a more long winded reply, and simply settled for what was going on, albeit he didn't look fond of it.

Kimbley would blow HIMSELF up before he ever humored Greed with the words 'master' or even more frightening, 'daddy'...If Dorochet wanted to lower himself to that level, let him, Kimbley would have no part in this little game of family...

Martel didn't mind being called "one of the boys" by now. In fact, she liked it. After all, most of her friends, no wait, all of her friends were male, so she was naturally referred to as part of their group. And their antics amused her. She smirked, waving a hand at them. "Dorochet may be your puppy, but I wouldn't call you Daddy even if you paid me. Sorry Greed. I could deal with something else, just... not Daddy," she admitted, a hand on her hip, walking alongside them.

"Puppy?" Dorochet echoed, glancing over at Martel. He looked back at Greed with a smile. "I'm your puppy?"

"Oh...please...spare the mush..." Kimbley rolled his eyes, pondering for a little while what to do when they got back.

Greed grinned, letting of Kimbley's waist to bring a finger up under Dorochet's chin "Sure thing, you can be my puppy" he leered.

Turning to face Martel, he gave her a smug look "Alright, I'm not your Daddy. What about 'handler'. Snakes have handlers, right?"

Martel paused for a few minutes in thought. She smirked and shrugged, replying, "Okay, that I could live with."

Somewhere in the back of Kimbley's mind, he was remotely aware of some sort of growing hatred for both of the chimeras...though he wasn't really sure why.

He wanted to make a snide comment about pets, but for once he couldn't think of one, so he shut his mouth before he blurted out nothing, which, coincidentally, probably came across as utter brain freeze at trying to make a witty comeback. Which it was. Kimbley wasn't too happy about that.

Greed paused for half a second, dropping he and Dorochet back until Martel was level with them, then wrapped his now-free arm around her shoulders. "Excellent. I promise I'll be the best handler you've ever had, sweetness." he grinned at her, then sighed happily. "This has been a productive day. I'm a snake handler and a daddy to a puppy" he squeezed both of his arms, giving his chimeras an awkward sort of hug. "Good day indeed."

"Ch..." Kimbley cracked his neck and kept walking, as though nothing phased him at all.

But really he was starting to get seriously pissed at the chimeras...he still didn't get why..

Martel chuckled softly, slipping her arm around his hip. She felt too at ease with him to resist. "Congratulations then, handler."

Dorochet glanced over at Martel, on Greed's other side. "When you said his plan for the day was to try to get in my pants..." He shrugged, grinning. "Looks like you weren't giving him quite enough credit for living up to his name."

Greed laughed. "Obviously. I wouldn't be Greed if I just settled for one, right?" he grinned at them, sharp teeth bared "Soooo...what are you two doing when we get home?" He winked, his fingers rubbing idly against Martel's shoulder and Dorochet's waist.

Kimbley clenched his fists inside his pockets, gritting his teeth to avoid making some overly jackass comment and pissing everybody off, hell he'd had enough of Martel being pissed this morning...feh...

He took off, walking at a slightly quick pace to work off some frustration, heading back for the Nest, alone.

-------

"Personally, I'm planning a hot shower. After that..." Martel smirked and shrugged. "Who knows, really. Can never tell, living with people like I do."

Dorochet swallowed hard. Greed seemed to maybe almost mean it... "I don't have any plans. ...You have something in mind?"

Greed smirked "I'm intrigued by this shower idea of Martel's." he tipped his head "I don't know if we could fit all four of us in that shower, though..."

Greed seemed to be joking, for now. He always did things like this. So Martel played along, smirking and waving a hand, absentmindedly tucking a finger through his belt loop. "I don't know... maybe a hotel then? They've always got huge bathrooms."

"Huge bathrooms and nice-smelling soap," Dorochet amended. "How about it, boss? Gonna spring for a nice hotel to take us back to?"

Turning all three of them around, Greed laughed affectionately. "Nothing is too good for my people. If they want a fancy hotel shower to fuck in, then a fancy hotel shower they shall have." With that, Greed steered them off down the way they'd come, back towards the commercial section of Dublith, looking for a swanky hotel to shack up in.

Martel blinked. Okay, Greed was starting to seem pretty serious about it now... She closed her eyes briefly, curling her finger in his belt loop a little more. If Greed wanted her, he could have her. It was that simple, or so she convinced herself. She probably wouldn't even realize it until afterwards. She opened her eyes again, and glanced at her companions. No... she doubted she'd mind this, she decided with a smile.

What a picture they must make, Dorochet thought, walking down the street like this, Greed holding them both close like -- like they belonged to him. Which...wasn't too far from the truth, after all.

And hell, that wasn't a bad thing to be, either. He leaned in a little closer to Greed with a smile.

Greed smiled to himself, pleased at these tiny posessive touches from his chimeras, and continued on happily down the street.

----------

Reaching a decently posh looking hotel, Greed bypassed the reception desk, trotting up the stairs, arms still hooked around his chimeras. Reaching the landing he randomly chose a direction, walking until he reached a room. This one looked good. It didn't really matter.

Dropping his arms, he reached forward and lightly rapped on the door. A few scuffling sounds later and it opened to reveal a confused looking man in a bad suit. "What--" he started, only to cut off as Greed's hand wrapped around his throat. "Sorry, but we need the room." he explained, pushing the man back into the room with the grip around his neck, not looking sorry at all. He tipped his head, indicating the interior of the room "Make yourselves comfortable" he directed the chimeras, watching with a hungry smile as the man scrabbled and clawed against the hand around his throat.

---------

Body stowed safely in the closet, Greed surveyed the room, hands on his hips. "Hm, yeah, this'll do. Anyone check the bathroom yet?"

Martel opened the door to the bathroom, glancing inside. A spacious bath with an adjoining shower, and elegant tan tiling around the entire room. Soft towels were piled on the sink, with more amenities than anyone could ever dream of. She glanced back out, smirking a bit. "I think we'll find it to our liking, sir," she commented, gesturing inside.

Dorochet ducked his head in and looked in the bathroom. He whistled, impressed -- two showerheads, gray marble, more than enough space. "Boss, we coulda brought Law with us and we'd still have enough room in there."

Greed laughed, sticking his head into the bathroom to check it out as well. "Damn, you're right. We coulda had ourselves a regular orgy." He grinned, giving his two chimeras a gentle push to their backs, moving them into the room.

Martel slipped inside, lifting one foot from her boot with a slick, slithering movement, and then the other, pushing them to the side. She shuddered at the feel of the cold tile under her small feet, hissing softly.

----------

Kimbley on the other hand, was starting to get restless back at the bar, squinting at the label on the third bottle he'd pulled down tonight.

Unable to read it, he resolved to just down it like the rest, who cared if he was fucking drunk, not like there was anybody here for him to make a fool of himself with after all.

Nope, nothing like that at all...but time revealed that a lonely, drunken Kimbley, was not at all a very happy Kimbley. Not even with an entire bar full of potential explosives. Not even the thought of explosions could cheer him up right now.

Not with the thought of Greed with Martel and Dorochet looming in the back of his mind and giving him mental images he could really do without. Ah, but they wouldn't want him there to spoil their fun, he'd probably just chase the chimeras off anyway, if not for the threats of combustion, then just for the fact that they couldn't stand to be near him.

Even throwing an empty bottle across the bar to hear an equally empty explosion didn't help his morose state. Kimbley remotely wondered if too many people would bitch at him for going out on the town and just having a blast. Literally. Hell, he was just drunk enough not to even care.

----------

After, curled up in a warm and still slightly wet pile of chimeras, Greed stretched languidly, feeling all squeaky clean in some places-- and quite dirty in others.

He sighed, lazy, contented, and wrapped an arm around each of his chimeras, one on either side of him, purring softly.

Dorochet sighed happily, his head resting on Greed's shoulder, one arm resting loosely around his alpha's waist, hand brushing Martel's stomach where she lay curled against Greed's other side. He hadn't expected...anything like this, earlier tonight, but it felt so good -- warm and relaxed and pleasantly sore.

He raised his head enough to lick at Greed's ear. "Thanks, boss."

Greed chucked, tipping his head into the licks "you're my puppy right? Gotta take care of you, after all" he grinned, licking Dorochet's forehead in return and tightening his hold around the chimera's waist.

---------

And so there he was...flirting with a barstool...piss fucking drunk.

How utterly sad for Kimbley. Really.

The barstool was actually quite funny though, it told some pretty damn good jokes. Why Kimbley would laugh at jokes about bunnies though was beyond him. Much like everything else was beyond him at the moment, considering he was so drunk he could barely stand up, or see straight, or think.

Well, at least he wouldn't remember it in the morning.

---------

"I've probably said this before... And if I haven't, I should have, I guess..." Dorochet smiled up at Greed. "I'm glad you broke us out. Not just because we got out, I mean. Because it was you." He looked down, a little embarrassed, trying not to say anything too...soft, especially where Martel might tease him for it later. "You're a pretty good guy to work for."

Greed paused, lifting his eyebrows in mild surprise, then smiled, tugging his chimera closer. "I'm glad. And...thanks for the loyalty." He let his eyes slip closed, settling down deeper into the soft bedding with a contented sigh.

---------

Needless to say, the barstool pissed him off, so he blew it up...outside...

And it all went downhill from there, really. A drunken, explosion happy Kimbley was not a good thing. Hell, the last time he got this drunk he nearly blew up the whole fucking bar...

Needless to say, it was the middle of the night, in the more trashy area of town, in an empty street, and Kimbley was drunk as fuck with a craving for bombs. Bad combination.

What came next probably shook the city to its foundations and left a fiery plume high enough to be seen from twenty miles away, and a cloud of smoke and dust that for a while blocked out the light from the stars and the moon. Because whatever building had been standing next to the bar...well...wasn't there anymore.

But Kimbley was there, laughing his drunk ass off at being slammed back by the force, currently slumped against the wall of the Devil's Nest with his hair and clothes in quite the disarray. But fuck...he was laughing because damn it was so funny!

----------

Dorochet was still smiling as he drifted off to sleep, safe and warm and happy. He was with his alpha -- with his pack -- and they were strong together, devoted. He hadn't even realized how much he'd needed this until he had it, the security and comfort of knowing he mattered, knowing the leader of his pack wanted him there.

He hadn't slept so well in years.

----------

Decay twitched once, her eyes clearing up a bit. By the moons of Yuggoth, it looked like she'd zoned out again... It hadn't happened in a while, but she supposed it was the stress. Looking around, Decay noticed that her arms were undone from their clasps, which was good.

Even better, she was somewhere around the outside of the door to Devil's Nest, and there were a couple of dead bodies outside. Mmmm, dead bodies... Sure, they looked a little rotten, but that was okay...right? Humans don't spoil that quickly... At least she hoped that was the case.

She grinned and stumbled over to them, her jagged teeth exposed and glinting in the afternoon light. Decay tore into the flesh of the deadthings, splattering red all over the front of her straight jacket. She finished with them all in only thirty minutes, a real personal record. Maybe she'd been hungrier than she thought...

Well, no matter. Decay tried to wipe her mouth on her sleeve, but only managed to spread the stuff around, so she lifted herself up and went on her way. Hopefully she'd find Ashton around her somewhere, but if not, oh well. He had seemed sort of mysterious anyway.

---------

Martel decided that now, she could die happy. Her happiness could have killed her right there. It was a strangely blissful feeling of not even having to breathe. Not to think. Tangled in a pile of limbs belonging to the people she loved most, she felt an utterly soothing sense of warmth. Her bare breasts pressed gently against her master's side, she could feel blood beat lazily through his veins, and if she let her feelings open enough, she could feel her heart beat against him. Dorochet too, his skin was warm, and her palm rested on his thigh. She could practically see the heat from them, but that was just a simple observation. What was more important was the humbling feeling. Homunculus or chimera, they were warm. Their hearts could beat. Even being 'cold-blooded', she felt warmer than she ever had. She felt loved. Right now, the idea that Greed might not even care --actually, probably couldn't-- hardly seemed possible.

It was odd, for her to feel this way. Snakes were solitary creatures. But having been through so much with these two beside her, chimera and homunculus, she was glad to feel her human side come out, if even just to feel this. A memory had dug itself into her, only moments old now, but something she would hold onto so tightly that she could never lose it. It shone so brightly within her that the darkness of the laboratory faded entirely for the moment. She hadn't felt the ecstasy of uniting with others she cared for in a long, long time.

Martel curled closer to Greed, her soft, feathery blonde head of hair brushing against him. She was a pale, small figure next to the larger forms of the two men, and since her eyes were closed, the only dash of color was the burgundy tattoo that snaked up her shoulder, chest, and cheek. Scratching Dorochet's thigh idly and lightly, she pressed a soft kiss to Greed's neck, tucking her head against him. "Greed... thank you," she whispered.

Greed was mostly asleep, but mumbled something softly, a tiny smile spreading across his face at the kiss.

Martel blinked, and smiled softly. She sighed, closing her eyes as tiny hot droplets collected there. If she ever had a home... if she was ever human... if she ever loved someone... all of it was right here. She didn't remember the last time she'd cried from happiness. But she was tired, so it wasn't long before her closed eyelids became heavy.

----------

By the time the others would get back to the bar, Kimbley would be gone.

They'd come home to quite a mess, with the building next door to the Devil's Nest in shambles from an explosion, and the military quartering off the blast zone as well as the noodle shop.

If asked, nobody would be able to recall ever seeing a ponytailed man dressed in burgandy with gold eyes. Mainly because none of them had seen him. Dorochet would undoubtedly pick up the alchemist's scent, as well as a less friendly one alongside it that placed an unmistakable feline chimera at the scene in extremely close proximity to Kimbley. By following the scent, however, they would end up losing the trail at the edge of town, as it simply seemed to vanish entirely without a trace._

* * *

_

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n;


	11. Hell Hath no Fury

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Hell Hath No Fury **

**

* * *

**

**Rating: **PG13-R (For language, etc)**  
Pairings: **None**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **None really, but there is character death, so be warned.  
**Setting: **Dublith/Devil's Nest/Liegenstadt, a town in the North.**  
Timeline: **A few days after Deceit first shows his face in Dublith.

* * *

"The dump's same as we left it," Martel sighed, ducking through the low doorway. Glancing at the walls around, she ran her hand along the bar, once smooth and glossed, but now something less than that. "Kimbley didn't blow up too much, I suppose. Good thing the bastard's sleeping. I'm in too good of a mood to be spoiled by him." She couldn't help but smile delicately at the remembrance of the night before. But then her dull green eyes caught sight of the paper on the bar. The chimera raised a thin blonde eyebrow and said with a slight quizzical tone, "At least... I think he's sleeping." 

Violet eyes glanced around, grin instantly fading at the feeling he got from this place now, his arm moving from where he'd rested it around Dorochet's waist. "I smell a rat..."

Dorochet frowned, turning his nose in the air. It twitched at the scent it picked up, and his eyes narrowed, glancing at Greed. "Actually, its a cat boss..."

The hint of a snarl curled Greed's lip slightly, just enough to show the jagged line of his teeth. However, he didn't say a word, instead looking to Martel and holding out his hand.

Martel lifted the paper and scanned over it before blinking and handing it to Greed. "Damn... someone had a serious inferiority complex temper tantrum..."

Scanning the note, Greed shook his head. "I can't claim to have known him that long, but I doubt Kimbley wrote that..." The frown turned into a smirk for a minute. "If he really did, I'll have to rub this in his face and laugh at how incredibly sappy it is. Here, get a scent." The Homunculus handed the paper to Dorochet. "My bet is Kimbley's isn't even on that."

Taking the note in his hands, he took a whiff. He made a rather canine snort, handing the paper back to Greed. "He's not on there, though I think I might have preferred if he was." He shifted his eyes around the room, determining how recent the smells were. "I hate cats."

Greed sneered lightly. "So the liar of a feline made off with Kimbley? How he got the man out of here with this place in tact is beyond me if he was sober..." Violet eyes scanned the bar, up and down, settling upon the small group of tipped over empty bottles. "That explains that..."

He shrugged lightly. "We'll just have to go teach the punk a lesson, mm?" Greed's lips curled in a grin that could only mean one thing.

A small grin tugged at Dorochet's lips, revealing brief flashes of smaller fangs. "Sounds good to me..." His hand was instinctively hovering over the hilt of his sword, and he glanced at Martel, grinning a little more at the snake woman. "Could be fun."

She was already wiping her dagger with a stray cloth. She snapped it into its sheath, glancing up and smirking a bit. "Could be. But if Kimbley bitches, I swear to god, I'll 'mistake' him for an enemy."

"Follow your nose then, and let's get after those punks before they get too far, mm?" Greed smirked, gently rubbing Dorochet's head.

He shivered pleasantly at the touch, smirking. Dorochet let his nose do its job, picking up the traces of the distasteful scent, following it out of the building with Greed and Martel in tow.

Dorochet narrowed his eyes at the buildings around them, looking back at Greed. "They're heading north," He said briefly before looking around them again. They were indeed going north, but not directly. The middle of the city was not the best place to be running straight through. Dorochet shrugged, turning to nod at the two of them before dashing off after the scent on its roundabout route while it was still relatively fresh.

---------------------------

Liegenstadt 

---------------------------

Sitting perched atop a fallen slab of concrete, the red-haired chimera, Deceit, leader of the seven Abominations, cast an emerald green gaze at those before him.

"We will depart for Ishbar in three days' time if they have not come for their little alchemist...Falsehood will take leave shortly after arriving in order to infiltrate the military stationed in Central. The Homunculus known as Greed has denied association, which will make this quicker for us... Slaughter... Sabotage... Falsehood... I trust you will make quick work of those pathetic excuses for chimeras he calls pets, while I take care of the so called 'Ultimate Shield'..." Deceit gave a fanged grin of approval to the three.

"Soooo...the fuzzball is going to act then?" A singsong voice flitted over Deceit's shoulder. "You can't take him on by yourself even if you do know the sealing technique...you'll need _me_..." Envy practically purred as he landed next to Deceit.

The boy in question just growled, clawed finger pointing across his ranks. "Make yourselves scarce! All but you three..." Deceit's eyes met with Sabotage, Slaughter, and Falsehood's. He glanced over at Envy calmly. "I trust you know how to get him where he needs to be and to draw the correct array...I'll leave it up to you..."

"Indeed...this will be interesting..." The green-haired homunculus practically skipped off in the opposite direction, grinning to himself. "I did need a good fight after all!"

Slaughter lifted an eyebrow. "Fuzzball? He needs to think up some new insults, the cocky little bugger."

Falsehood elbowed him in the hip. "Hush. We're here for orders, not a name-calling session."

Deceit snickered slightly, hopping down from the stone and standing before the three, nudging Sabotage with his toe. "I know you aren't a day person, but scruff it up and quit sleeping during my announcements..."

The wolf chimera started, sitting up and listening intently, a bit apologetically as though expecting to be reprimanded. "So...what's the plan if they do come?" Sabotage piped up, just to prove he _had_ been listening. Really. He had.

The alternately feline chimera grinned at that, leaning back against the stone with a bit of an amused look. "Envy will lure Greed away from the other three...they have a snake... a dog.. and an ox... I believe it should be clear as to who takes which target from there...and why I chose you three..." The grin turned into a wicked smirk. "It will startle them at first...but knowing their reactions, I don't think it would be difficult to fool them into trusting you at first...I'm reluctant to slay one of our own but kill them if they persist to the point of interfering with the sealing process...be sure to wear them out either way..."

"Oh, phooey," Slaughter muttered at Deceit's declaration that conversion was preferable to death. "This isn't going to be fun at all." He rubbed a massive hand through his dark, wiry fetlock. "Killing people's what life's all about, for pity's sake!"

Falsehood giggled. "Poor bunny," she said. "Well, if they're as truly devoted to this Greed person as I'm guessing, you'll have your fill, dearheart."

"Due to the oxen's size I believe he merits a good beating if not death, myself...and personally I'd like that little mongrel skinned alive...it's higher orders, remember that..." Deceit turned to walk off. "Keep a lookout...Falsehood, you're first watch..."

"Got it, boss." Falsehood somehow managed to slide up on top of the rock despite her missing arm. "Slaughter, I'll wake you up after midnight, all right?"

"Sure thing." He waved. "Don't fall asleep on us, now."

"Snakes don't sleep," she said after he had left. "We bask."

After Deceit was gone, Sabotage stood to follow behind him. "I know you can take care of yourself, but be careful..."

She waved a casual hand. "Yeah, yeah. I know. If you hurry up, I think Discrimination's got some human that Slaughter nabbed. You know he doesn't like flesh, just the organs, so you might be able to snag a leg or something."

Sabotage grinned toothily. "Thanks, I'll be sure and check that out!" And then he trotted off, a bit of a happy skip in his steps.

Falsehood watched the kid disappear into one of the ramshackle buildings that had once been a tavern.

She curled up into a watchful ball, hoping they saved something for her.

-----------------------

**Later… **

-----------------------

Falsehood perked up when she heard heavy footsteps stomping towards her position. Clumsy brute, even Slaughter could move more quietly than that. She slid off to warn the rest of her team.

The brute in question was walking in what he thought was a relatively quiet manner behind Dorochet, surveying the location around them.

Dorochet was in front of them, following his nose along Kimbley's trail when something else wafted through his nose. Sharp and metallic and very familiar.. Dorochet frowned. "Someone's been bleeding," He said.

Martel flicked out her tongue shortly. "Is it Kimbley?" Her hand rested cautiously at her shoulder where her knife was kept.

"Some of it.." Dorochet sniffed at the air again, narrowing his eyes and moving his hand close to his sword hilt. "..There are some pests nearby."

Greed put his hands on the two smaller chimeras' shoulders, grinning. "Then let's go show them why it's a bad idea to fuck around with us."

The dog grinned a bit before he shot a sharp glance around them, ears attuned to footsteps in the distance. "I think they're saving us the trouble of looking," he said flatly, giving the three others warning looks.

"Sooo...finally came, huh? Is the splodey alchemist really so important to you? How sweet!" It could only have been Envy, as Greed's assumptions were confirmed with a glance. He grinned, shrugging slightly. "At least I take care of my own. My bet is you're not here to chat though, so I'll just get down to business..." He let his shield creep up his arms, breaking off from the small group to tackle Envy himself. It wasn't long before both Homunculi were out of sight.

"Splodey alchemist?" Falsehood asked Slaughter.

"Prolly that fire-happy loser we nabbed," Slaughter grunted, trying to loosen his blade. "Some nickname, I guess..."

Sabotage stretched slightly and let out a howl, long and low. "Let's get this party started, I smell a mutt pushing on my territory..." He sniffed, hand on the hilt of his sword.

Slaughter grinned, his dark brown eyes taking on an eerie tinge of red. "I couldn't agree more, wolf."

Law hefted his mallet as he noticed the other three, Dorochet already prepared to unsheath his blade and have at it.

The mutt glanced at the snake woman at his side. "Looks like we're invited. That's lovely."

Slaughter deftly screwed together the three seperate parts of his polearm. "I'm glad you appriciate the party, mutt."

Martel nodded, knife already out of its sheath. "That's really not a nice way to treat your guests now..."

Sabotage snorted, moving forward to single out Dorochet, hackles raised and fangs bared. "Puppy in a wolf's territory, not very smart little mutt, the alpha's not happy about it..."

Falsehood sighed. "Men. You're always insulting each other. Learn a little class, will you?"

Dorochet smirked, deftly pulling his sword from its sheath and eyeing Sabotage. "He's not offering any doggy treats, I'm afraid I can't offer him much class."

Falsehood snorted. "Grow up. Acting like that isn't horribly endearing, you know." She winked at the other viper. "What do you think, sweetheart?"

Martel narrowed her eyes slightly. "I think that Dorochet's personality is charming, and that you should give up Kimbley before we have to get serious."

"Kimbley? Oh. Him." Falsehood giggled. "Don't worry, we have him safe. Our boss wouldn't let me kiss him, which was such a disappointment."

"Falsehood..." Slaughter growled warningly.

Martel eyed the other snake woman. "Falsehood, is it? Who named you anyway?"

The snake so addressed shrugged. "My maker. I'd be the first to admit that His creative streak is rather limited, but our names are better than those idiotic Sins. Who'd want to be called something like 'Greed' anyway?"

Law had to hold Martel back at that comment. She seethed in silence after settling down, content to glare daggers at Falsehood.

Falsehood grinned, tiny fangs bared. "Oho! Hit a soft spot did I? Tell me, is it interesting to get romantically involved with your boss?" It was a wild stab in the dark, but she guessed it was close to the truth from her opposite's rather silly reaction.

"It's not like that!" Martel spouted, having to be held back once again.

"Not like what?" Falsehood said innocently.

Slaughter covered a chuckle with a rather overdone sigh. "Stop teasing the poor thing, will you?"

Martel growled, struggling in Law's grip. "I don't need your help you overgrown throwrug!"

"Oy, oy," Slaughter protested. "We are NOT throwrugs, you understand that? Repeat after me: bulls are not throwrugs."

Now it was Falsehood's turn to choke back a laugh.

"What the hell is so goddamn funny to you! Bah, just hand over Kimbley and we're out of here!" Martel snapped at the two.

Slaughter tapped his foot. "I said, repeat after me: bulls are not throwrugs -- overgrown or otherwise."

Martel snorted. "Why would I take orders from something that looks like it got its hair rubbed between the cheeks of a hog's ass?"

Before anyone could blink, Slaughter leveled his weapon at Martel, the point drawing out a scant bead of blood from her throat. "Because, little vermin, it would be so very, very easy to kill you."

Martel's eyes narrowed as she slid back, poising to strike. She didn't like where this was going one bit, so that's what it came down to then...

Slaughter eyed her, his eyes completely red. "So now you run away, little pest?"

"I don't run!" Martel was about to lunge when Law reached his hand to the side, signalling her to stay put.

"I'm sure," Slaughter and Falsehood chorused sarcastically.

Law growled, a steadfast glare focused on Slaughter as he moved between him and Martel, giving the snake woman the briefest of glances to keep her where she was. "Shouldn't instigate things with people smaller than you," He muttered.

"Oh, please," Slaughter retorted. "War is war, no matter who is involved. I wasn't instigating anything. She insulted me and you, but I suppose you're too much of a pushover to care."

"Being called a throwrug isn't enough to insult me," Law said flatly. "Though it seemes to have gotten to you rather easily."

Slaughter shrugged. "It's the thought that counts," he said with a disarming grin.

Law allowed an unnatural smirk to tug at his mouth a bit. "I suppose that's why it was your hair that got the hog's ass treatment, and not mine."

"Very cute, very cute." Slaughter chuckled. "I love how people with lower-than-normal intelligence can ram an original insult into the ground."

If it was meant to be bait, it wasn't that good. Law stood unphased by the apparant insult, shrugging.

Slaughter had always been credited with slightly-above-average-slightly-below-genius intelligence when he had been a human. His eyebrows quirked. "Well, well... you may be smarter than I had originally credited you for--"

"Hey, where's the wolf-boy?" Falsehood asked, interrupting him.

There was a yelp off from the side and Sabotage stepped out from behind a decrepit building, just as an alchemical flare lit the sky to the east. "That was boring..."

Falsehood swallowed a giggle. "Finished so soon? How disappointing. I thought he'd give you more of a run for your money, dear."

Sabotage shrugged. "Looks like the boss is finishing up with that Greed guy, means we can go back now, right?"

"I suppose." She prodded Slaughter in the hip. "Time to go, sweetheart. Looks like we'll have to save your fun for another day."

"I have my orders, Falsehood!" Slaughter snarled.

"Well the meat's gettin' cold..." Sabotage sniffed the air. "And the damn bat's gonna start without us!"

"He's not that rude," Slaughter remarked. "And we may just end up with a bigger main course, kiddo."

Martel's eyes widened. "What the hell is he doing to Greed!" Once more she had to be held back from running off recklessly.

"Nothing permanant," Falsehood said sweetly. "Just making sure he stays out of our hair for a while." She turned flat eyes on Slaughter. "Slaughter, do your thing. Time's running out."

"Gladly," the bison chimera said, moving forward menacingly.

Law's grip tightened on his mallet, anticipating the other chimera's movements. "Martel," He said sharply, telling her to get away with his tone.

Martel growled, squirming out of Law's grasp and lunging at Falsehood. Before she could even get halfway she was met with Sabotage, who brought the hilt of his blade down at the base of her neck.

She fell to the ground, eyes glazing and limp. Out cold, Sabotage noted with a huff. "Not even worth the time..."

"Slaughter, we're heading back to the others," Falsehood said crisply. "I want to see you there in UNDER half an hour. Got that?"

"Of course," Slaughter said, grinning sadistically. "If I take longer, Deceit will have my hide, such as it is." He lunged for Law, polearm out and ready.

Law snarled, sidestepping the lunge and countering with a swing of his own weapon.

Sabotage stretched a bit, offering his arm to Falsehood with a toothy grin. "It worries me that the boss left that nervous wreck of a chimera to watch that damn alchemist...she could get careless, it's not like she understands..."

She took it with a smile. "I honestly don't think it matters to him. What do you say we split a leg with one another?"

"Sounds positively splendid! Right or left?" And so the chatter continued in this odd fashion as the two wandered off.

Slaughter dodged the slow swing, tapping Law smartly beneath the chin. "Too slow," he said reprovingly, gouging a deep furrow in the other's chest.

The other large chimera growled out in pain, managing to only lunge forward and ram the mallet bluntsided against Slaughter's torso, though there wasn't time to do much else besides.

Slaughter began to hiccup. "Oh -hic!- damn you!" he snarled, before ramming the blade into Law's gut. "That -hic!- wasn't nice!"

Sudden piercing pain, and Law choked, coughing out splatter of dark blood. "Of.. course not.." He grunted, knowing that his death was inevitable now. Thus he pushed forward, wincing and repeating the previous action, consequently pushing the blade back out of him, letting Law sink to the ground.

"Bravo," Slaughter murmured, looking down at the dying chimera. "I like you, so I'll just slit your throat and be done with it. I'll leave you here to be buried." He gently exposed Law's throat and cut it swiftly and professionally. Then he ambled off, still hiccuping.

---------------------

Deceit looked over his shoulder, rolling his eyes a bit at the dancing Homunculus behind him. "You'd better get back to Irrtum if you're planning on meeting the others, Envy…we'll be close behind after we finish up here…" With that, the cat chimera left the eldest homunculus to his fun, walking away from the new seal created to hold Greed.

--------------------

Somewhere off in the distance, there was a small explosion. Kimbley managed to finally get his hands on that dumbass chimera that one guy called Decay all the time, about damn time!

The disoriented alchemist tore off his blindfold, staggering out of the small crater that was left of the building he was held in, and off away from the light of campfires.

It wasn't long before he'd accidentally tripped over Dorochet's unconscious form, only to land sprawled across the sand with a perfect view of Martel's prone form and the bloody carcass of Law. "Fuck..."

Kimbley grunted slightly, and despite his fatigue and hunger, and inhumanity for that matter, managed to drag Dorochet and Martel off for a while to regain consciousness. He managed to stay conscious himself long enough to get them well out of sight, before lightheadedness took over and sent him crashing to the ground.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	12. A Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**A Crazy Little Thing Called Love

* * *

**

**Rating: **PG13-R (For language, semi-smut)  
**Pairings: **HavocxRoy, Implied HavocxEd and RoyxEd.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **None really.  
**Setting: **Central.**  
Timeline: **A month or so after Roy found Ed all beat up in his office. FLASHBACK. This section and the next are purely for filling in a few details.

* * *

Colonel Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, sat calmly in his chair. Behind his desk. In his office. Roy Mustang on the other hand, was angry. Near the point of setting the entire building aflame, even. Nevertheless, he hid it, waiting with a practiced professionalism for a particular blond subordinate to enter his office.

Under the extreme duress of another blond-haired coworker, Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc was working his ass off to get paperwork done. Colonel Mustang may have been his superior officer, but Riza Hawkeye was just plain scary.

Roy almost let down his facade for a moment in favor of tapping a pen on the desk, but stopped himself at the last second. Wouldn't do to be seen doing something like that, especially not by Hawkeye. He glanced at the clock on the wall above the doors. Ten minutes...he'd been waiting ten minutes! He'd specifically requested that the subordinate in question would be sent as soon as possible!

"There's a mistake on the last page," Riza remarked in her liquid-calm voice.

"So white it out and write it in," Havoc snapped, more than just slightly harried. "Mustang wants me in his office... wait, no, I'll retype the entire page."

"Good boy," she said peacefully.

Mustang sighed, growled, and huffed. He was considering calling Hawkeye to ask him why the hell the Second Lieutenant was NOT in his office by now, when the thought struck him. Complaining to Riza Hawkeye was NOT a good idea. Even if you WERE Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist.

Havoc pounded on the 'A' key for a few minutes before realizing that the typewriter tape was out of ink. Outraged at the line of events that seem to conspire to screw up his entire day, he got up, shoved his chair in sulkily and stomped over to the supply cabinet to get a new tape.

"You abuse your typewriter too much," someone remarked, then gurgled into silence at the absolutely FOUL looks that Riza and Havoc both aimed around the office pool.

Roy tried to ignore the ticking sound of the clock, turning his chair around to face the window and standing to look outside. Patience was usually one of Mustang's virtues, but in this case it most definitely was not.

Havoc had finally wrestled the tape into place (honestly, could their typewriters be any older? his mother had a newer one, and he hadn't seen her in five years!) and was halfway through the faulty last page before he realized that he was supposed to have been in Mustang's office half an hour ago. He shrugged. Patience was a virtue, after all.

By now, Roy had begun to clean. Anything. Everything. If it had the smallest speck of dirt or dust on it, he cleaned it.

Havoc sneezed right after he finished the page. He leaned back, somewhat triumphantly. "Riza, check that, will you? I think it's clean."

She snatched the page with practiced ease, casting a professional eye over it. "It's good. I'm impressed, Havoc. You managed to make only one mistake, instead of one per page. Something on your mind?"

"Other than my impending doom?" He gestured towards Mustang's office door. "Really, Riza, you should know me better than that."

Hawkeye treated him to a rare smile. "Good luck."

Roy sat back down at his desk, propping his elbows on the wood surface that now sparkled like Armstrong, sans pink, and folding his hands under his nose to peer over them at the door. It was purely professionalism that kept him from looking asleep. Really, he wasn't...just zoning was all...but he didn't look it, he'd learned to fake paying attention a long time ago -- thank you Riza's Hawkeye.

Havoc lifted a shaky hand to knock at Mustang's door, the entire office in silent support. And sympathy. Yeah, definitely more sympathy than support from these goons. He knocked. Once.

Letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, Roy steeled himself and responded. "Come in..."

Havoc slouched in, mentally and physically prepared for the browbeating he was probably going to get hit with. Years of serving under Colonel Mustang had conditioned almost everyone except Riza and Ed into completely servile attitudes when speaking alone with the man.

"You wanted to see me, Colonel." A statement, rather than a question. It came out more tired than anything else, an eloquent hint to the fact that he wanted out. Now.

"Have a seat, Lieutenant," the dark haired man unfolded his hands to place them crossed on the desk's surface. "I'm sure you know what this is about..."

"It could be one of any number of stupid things I've done recently," Havoc pointed out. "Including -- but not limited to! -- gambling in officer hours, annoying Lieutenant Hawkeye several times, not getting my paperwork done... the list goes on and on."

The Colonel stood and slammed his hands down on the desk, trembling with the effort of holding back his anger. "I don't know whether to be enraged at him for not telling me, or you for doing it in the first place! You know damn well what I mean now cut the crap!"

Havoc wasn't surprised that Mustang had found out. In fact, he had pretty much assumed it. But what boggled his mind to the point of hopelessly slagging it into mulch was the fact that Mustang was using up office hours to yell at him about it. That thought alone caused a tiny grin at the ridiculousness.

He got ready to duck as soon as he realized he was smiling.

Roy rubbed his temples absently, frustrated to the point where he couldn't stand it anymore. He walked around his desk and flopped gracelessly onto one of the couches, picking up a glass to take a sip only to realize it was empty and slam it back down so hard he himself was surprised it didn't break. The Colonel emitted a heavy sigh, still rubbing at his temples. "Do you at least have a reason as to why I was not told about this, Lieutenant? I understand this has been going on since even before Fullmetal and I..." he trailed off, it was already a well known fact to his staff, he didn't need to really elaborate on their condition...it was just that...Ed didn't even tell him...

Havoc shrugged. "Ed didn't want me to tell you. I guessed that he had already done it or was planning to. Other than that, no, I don't have a reason. Do I need one?"

Roy waved his hands in the air in a random gesture of utter loss at what to say. "Fuck I don't know, you're sleeping with my lover, it's all a big pit of fraternization, and here I thought you were actually straight what with all the fuss you'd make over my good luck with women! I don't know, Havoc, you tell me!"

Havoc shrugged. "Then in that case, I'd like to get back to my work. You've seemed to have staked out one hell of a claim on the Major, and I'll leave you to it." If there was a hint of defeat in his voice, he ignored it.

"Any work you've been assigned to for the rest of the day has been divided up between the others. I don't think I'm wrong in assuming you've nowhere else to be then?" Roy deftly changed the subject. He wasn't quite sure why, but that wavering tone in Havoc's voice, the briefest shadowing of his features that flickered just long enough for Roy to catch it, made him feel sick for some reason.

"There's always some place for me," he shot back, tone hard. "With the amount of work that we scrape up, there's plenty for me to do. With your leave, sir?"

No leave was granted, and finally, after a strained silence, Roy began to nod. Yes, that would be best, to just forget about it and continue on like nothing happened, that's what he did anyway.

Havoc turned and opened the door, disappearing from view. Good-natured ribbing and jokes floated through the open door, Falman perhaps making a poorly aimed jest:

"What, was Mustang barking at you about a love interest"

A brief pause, then Havoc's cheerful laugh, an unprintable retort, Riza making a comment about language, and the soft click of a lighter.

Roy cursed himself mentally, almost out loud, before composing himself and clearing his throat. "Lieutenant Havoc, I wasn't through with you yet."

A collective groan reverberated through the office pool. Havoc poked his head back in, a cigarette sticking out of his mouth and his eyes sour and cold. "You gave me leave to go, Colonel," he pointed out, not unreasonably.

"I made a vague gesture with my head, Lieutenant, that does not mean I granted you leave..." Mustang stood from the couch, swiftly making his way to the door to reach out and fist one hand tightly in the lapels of Havoc's uniform, yanking him back into the office. Once inside, Roy pushed the Lieutenant back against the open door, slamming it shut as his free hand snatched the cigarette from the officer's lips, dark eyes blazing from behind a piecy veil of black bangs up at his subordinate.

"Assaulting a subordinate?" Havoc snapped, obviously not very happy at the turn of events. "Look, Colonel, we have a deadline to meet. I don't know about you, but I'd like to keep my ass in one piece by getting all the reports typed up on time. Will you just let me go do my job?"

His mood had been steadily getting worse throughout the farce, and it showed in the clipped tone of his voice and the unnaturally stiff attitude of his body.

"I told you already your workload was transferred, and will you just shut up already before I end up making sense of this situation?!" _What in the hell am I doing!?_ "I can't even be angry with anyone but myself right now, thank you, and I really just wish you'd stop acting like you think I enjoy this!"

"If you're so angry with yourself, then keep me out of it!"

"You're already a part of it, Jean!" Roy was almost shocked at his own words, when was the last time he'd used just the Lieutenant's first name? Back in Ishbar perhaps?

Havoc stared, dumbfounded. Mustang had NEVER used his first name. Ever. He didn't even know the man knew his given name.

Oh, fuck... There was a moment in which the mask had faltered, Roy didn't know how long it'd lasted, but he'd hoped it wasn't noticed. The hand holding Havoc's lapels loosened and fell to his side as he turned away. "Sorry...for keeping you so long...I..." Roy trailed off, trying to calm his voice that he knew was wavering, hoping he wasn't trembling, that wouldn't do, he didn't lose control like that. Period.

NOW Havoc was confused, and didn't mind admitting it. "What the hell is going on here, Mustang?!"

Roy shook his head, spinning back around to face Havoc again. "You think I know?! I can't even begin to understand it, you think I really know everything?!" He felt small...too small...the idea of shrinking back to his chair seemed awfully appealing right now for some reason.

Havoc gave a disgusted snort. "Next time, make sure you know what you're doing before you decide to make my life hell. May I go back to work now?

"You say that like I planned all this!" Roy barely held back a wince at the somewhat hurt tone he'd used. He couldn't really figure out why he'd sounded that way, why he'd feel that way even. Why the hell did he feel like he just wanted to go crawl in a hole?

"You told me to see you in your office, during work hours I might add, for something as stupid as a romantic tangle-up. If you wanted to make an issue out of this, you should have done it on the off hours!" Now thoroughly angry, he opened the door and stormed out. "I'm going home early. I don't care what you say, I'm doing it."

A very distraught Mustang followed not long after Havoc, waving a hand to the rest of his staff. "Take the afternoon off, no questions, just go home!" The door slammed behind him and his footfalls became more rapid, quickly fading as he ran after the retreating blond.

Breda blinked. "That was weird"

Hands jammed in his pockets, Havoc made his way down to the street, ignoring his C.O., who was apparently running after him. He just wanted to get back to his apartment, take a nice shower, and maybe apply for a transfer.

"Havoc wait a second will you!" Roy barely managed to dodge a trash bin that seemed to jump right out in front of him. "Dammit I'm sorry!"

"Go to hell." It was symptomatic of his state of mind that he didn't even tack on a grudging 'sir' to the end of his sentence.

That would've been something to flare a quick incineration any other day, but today Roy felt a stab of pain in his chest that confused him to no ends. "No, I won't. If I don't follow you now I'll just kick myself for it for the rest of my godforsaken life, Jean!" He'd caught up now, though he didn't feel any less small than before at the moment.

"Good for you!" Havoc snarled, pure unadulterated rage seeming to surround him. "I told you to leave me out of this! You've won, dammit! Leave me alone!"

"I can't!" Roy grabbed Havoc's wrist as they reached the secluded complex. "I can't, Jean...this is more than me...more than you...more than Edward, understand? Hell right now I don't even think it has a damn thing to do with Ed!"

Havoc yanked his hand free. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't care anymore?" Opening the heavy main door, he stomped up a flight of stairs. He dug out his keys and unlocked his door.

Mustang didn't let up, he already knew he'd gone too far, but he couldn't just turn back. "Has it ever occurred to YOU that maybe I DO?!"

Havoc turned, his face gray with exhaustion, his blue eyes bright and brittle. "Yes. It has. It has also occurred to me that right now I probably couldn't give a rat's ass for what you want." That dead, even tone was perhaps even more frightening than the towering rage he had been in not a minute before.

The mask was gone; he didn't even remember when he'd just dropped it. Roy looked about ready to break, pride the only thing that kept him from tears at that moment, though he was sure they showed in his eyes nonetheless. He couldn't tell what twisted the knife more, the tone, or the look, only that both together were seriously gnawing at his self-control.

Havoc opened the door, leaving it open. Two cats bolted from the bedroom, nearly leaping on the tall man. A tight smile spread across his face.

Roy swayed, steadying himself against the doorframe before he could fall. He didn't say a word at all, couldn't really. What the hell would he say?

"Don't just stand there, either get in or get out." A pretty little calico perched on Havoc's shoulder, while a silvery-gray animal glared balefully at Mustang. The gray cat opened her mouth and began to mew rather peevishly. "Honoria, hush."

Roy looked a bit shocked for a moment, confused at the change, and then shook himself out of it and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He still had to lean against it for support; at least until his knees stopped threatening to give out and his head stopped spinning.

Honoria hissed at the new development, seeming very ready to start mauling Mustang's leg. "Honoria!" Havoc said sharply. "Into the bedroom!" The gray cat slunk off and Havoc followed, ignoring his C.O.

A soft thunk sounded from the front door to signal Roy's knees hitting the floor, followed by another that sounded with the impact of his head against the wall. He sat there slumped over in a corner of the entryway, trying to piece together what just happened and why, not to mention what the hell he was doing in the first place.

Havoc returned in a few minutes, the calico following him. He was dressed in a worn work shirt and workpants. Honoria had apparently been left in his bedroom.

"Snap out of it, Mustang," he said, voice still cold. "You'll be leaving soon enough, and your world will return to normal. I'm requesting a transfer tomorrow."

"And you expect me to just sit there and let you go?" Weary, lightless coal orbs gazed up at Havoc from his spot on the floor, though he managed some kind of a sad smile. "Honestly, Jean, I thought you knew me better than that..."

"Yes, I do. And I'm leaving."

Roy dropped his eyes again. "What about Edward..."

"He'll understand."

"You're giving him too much credit..."

"At least, he'll know why. With understanding comes enlightenment. I trust him."

"I don't think he'd approve..."

"That part I don't care about. Understanding and approbation are two very different things, Colonel."

"So you're just going to hurt him? After he confided his soul to you?"

" 'Hurt'?" Havoc's tone turned mocking. " 'Confided his soul'? Mustang, I was a replacement for you, nothing more. Feel honored."

"You really think that?" Roy got to his feet again, staring at Havoc in disbelief. "Even if that's true what about your feelings, you're not the kind to just give up like that..."

Havoc's jaw clenched; there was definitely something sad in his eyes. "There's someone better for him. And it's not me."

"That's supposed to be my line..."

"Oh?"

"What the hell do you mean 'Oh?' That's been my line from the beginning! He'd have been better off never getting involved with me..."

"Then why did you let it happen?"

"Because I couldn't stop myself..."

Havoc began to chuckle bitterly. "At least I had a reason. Maybe just as misguided, but a reason nonetheless."

"And what was that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"If it was obvious why would I be asking..."

"I'm in love," he said simply.

"I thought that was a given in both our situations..." Roy needed a drink...damn did he need a drink...

"Then why did you ask?"

"I thought you might have had some other reason for letting it slip...don't suppose so..."

"Why would you care in the first place? I'm nothing more than a worthless subordinate officer who stole your boyfriend."

"Now you're just trying to put words in my mouth..." -- _there's a much easier way to do that you know..._ Roy looked up to meet Havoc's eyes at the sudden flash of thought that came with the phrase. It surprised him, to say the least, that he'd actually almost gone out and said it... "Besides...it might be true that you've stolen something from me, but it isn't my boyfriend..."

Havoc eyes narrowed. "I was stating a plain fact, sir." He eyed Mustang warily at that last comment.

"Obviously it's not a plain fact now is it? If you were worthless why would I waste my time? And did I not just say that you didn't steal my boyfriend?"

" 'Waste your time?' I'm hurt."

"Well you sure as hell don't act like it."

"Apparently sarcasm is wasted on you."

Roy shrugged. "Apparently affections are wasted on you..." He steeled himself at that, hiding the pang of guilt that rose at his words.

"I wouldn't know one if I saw one," Havoc said without missing a beat.

Roy held back the automatic 'obviously' and let the battle end there, he was in no condition for a battle of wits, not in the least. He sighed heavily. "Maybe not everything can be seen right away...some things...just have to jump out at you when you could really do without the complications..."

"From your world-weary tone, I'm assuming that's what's just happened to you."

"You think?" Even his retorts lacked the usual edge. "No really, I just followed you here to piss you off..."

"Which would not be totally out of character," Havoc murmured.

"Right, so I relieved my entire staff four hours early, chased a subordinate to his house, INSIDE his house, had a verbal sparring match with said subordinate, dropped every last barrier I've ever put up for myself, and made myself look like a complete idiot in order to piss you off."

"It worked."

Roy brought a hand up to his face, covering his eyes for a moment. "Fine...wasn't my intention but okay..." He let his hand fall, pointedly avoiding looking at Havoc. "I'm sorry...maybe I'm more sorry for myself..."

Havoc could see all too clearly where this was going, and he tried desperately to subvert it. "Yes you are. And you probably feel guilty as hell, too."

"I'm sure there has to have been something I've kept you from, a shower maybe, lunch, a nap..."

"You're probably right," Havoc said imperturbably.

Roy's gaze was cast downward, slightly off to the side, and was that door farther away than it was just a minute ago? "I'm sorry to be an inconvenience..." One foot in front of the other...just move... But he couldn't.

"Any more heart-wrenching confessions before I feed you lunch and send you home?"

"You've got no obligation to feed me anything, you know..."

"You show up on my doorstep right behind me? Of course I feed you. If you have to go home an emotional wreck, at least you can go home a well-fed emotional wreck."

_But I don't want to go home..._ Roy finally let his gaze fall back upon Havoc. "You don't have to do this...you don't owe me anything after all this..."

"I owe you my friendship, at least. I just don't want to be used again as a replacement."

"You never were a replacement for anybody, Jean...Ed isn't that stupid..." Roy had to fight the urge to step forward, frozen in his spot. "...Neither am I..."

"You weren't there, Roy. You were the one he was thinking of, not me. You have no idea how much that hurts."

Roy stepped closer this time without thinking. "Then would you let me be a damper for that pain?"

The familiar twinge tightened in his chest. "God... don't do this to me..."

Hesitation. "Then what would you propose that I do..." Roy started to reach up, paused. "I can't...just stand by..."

To his horror and dismay, Havoc felt tears well in his eyes. "I don't know! If I knew, I would have fixed this long ago..."

"Then let me help..."

"How?"

Roy fisted both hands in Havoc's shirt, pulling him down into an affectionate, gently reassuring kiss. When he pulled away, it was only a short distance, hands still clutching material. "The only way I know how..."

Havoc looked down and over, making no move to accept or deny the offer.

"Jean..." Roy reached up one hand to turn Havoc's head so their eyes met again.

Havoc's eyes dropped wordlessly.

Roy sighed, letting his hand drop and his head as well. "Sorry..."

Havoc tried to piece out what was going on. His peace of mind, along with any objections, had been left behind somewhere around the kiss. "I'm probably the one who should apologize. I'm being woefully insensitive."

Roy shook his head, letting his other hand slip from Havoc's shirt and wrapping both arms around the other man's lean torso. With a sigh, he let his forehead rest against Havoc's chest. "It's warranted, I'm sure..."

"Maybe." He stroked Roy's hair affectionately, one arm securely around the man's shoulders. "I'm confused, tired, and sick of fighting with people about things that don't really matter in the long run. I probably have every right to kick your ass, but for some odd reason, I just don't feel like doing it."

"I wouldn't blame you if you did, you know..." Roy didn't make a move from their current positioning.

"No you wouldn't, but you'd probably still take grave exception to it." Havoc's voice sounded light and cheerful again.

"Who wouldn't?" Roy grinned a bit ruefully, though it wouldn't be seen.

"When you take grave exception to something, it's rather more intimidating than when other people do."

"Ah..."

"Are you hungry? I have a chicken pudding that I can warm up if you want..."

"I think I'm more tired than hungry right now, truthfully..."

"Then you can sleep in my bed. I still have some things that ought to be done before I pass out on the couch."

Roy shifted slightly. "Need any help?"

Havoc laughed. "All I'm doing is taking out the trash and brushing and feeding the cats. Go on, you look like you could do with a nap."

"Mind if I borrow your shower and a pair of pants?"

"If you can find a pair that fits. There may be some old stuff in the back of my closet. Oh, and be careful when you open the closet door -- there's a lot of junk on the top shelf, and it hurts when it falls on your head."

Roy couldn't help but chuckle lightly. "Is your cat going to maul me when I walk in the door?"

Havoc made a face. "Oh. Right. I don't know why Honoria doesn't like you. Normally she's fairly good-natured."

The other cat, the calico kitten, bumped her head against Roy's ankle, mewing cutely.

Roy glanced down, then knelt to give the adorable feline a little scritching behind her ears with a smile. "I think it's been established she doesn't like me, but is she going to maul me when I walk in the door?"

"Not if I'm there. She behaves around me." Havoc grinned at the two of them, the little kitten purring up a storm. "I think you're Severn's new favorite person."

"I'm honored..." Roy hefted the little furball into his arms, still scritching lightly here and there, now up under her chin. "I never would have thought you to be a cat person, Jean.."

Severn meeped and murbled at him, happy as a clam. Havoc grinned. "Well, I think we've already established that I hate dogs. Birds are too noisy, and ferrets smell. Cats are quiet, sweet, affectionate, and they seem to like me."

Roy chuckled heartily as he got a tiny lick on the face from the rumbling ball of fuzz and warmth in his arms, nuzzling against the tiny teeth that nipped his nose. "I suppose if this little one insists I'll skip the shower..."

"She'll take one with you," Havoc said airily. "She's pretty much gung-ho to do anything with people she likes."

"A kitten that isn't afraid of water? That's a new one, but I'd be afraid she might fall through the drain.." He smiled at the irresistibly cute fluff.

Severn put a paw on his nose, meeping.

"I don't think she'd let me take the time to get clean!" Dark eyes flickered up to look at Havoc, a tiny paw still on his nose and a smile still on his lips.

"Go on, then," Havoc said, smiling himself. "She'll probably curl up close wherever you decide to crash."

"Didn't you have a few things to do?" Roy earned a finger biting for stopping the petting, and amiably rubbed under the calico's chin.

"Well, since you've stolen one of my maidens' hearts, it's pretty much a moot point," he retorted cheerfully, but began to gather up trash anyway.

Severn decided that she would much rather perch on Daddy's friend's shoulder, and wiggled accordingly. She ended up draped elegantly across Roy's right shoulder, still purring.

Roy sighed, gently stroking the soft fur of kittenhood, they always were the fluffiest. He took a seat on the couch for the time being, smiling as he closed his eyes and listened to the tiny little motor on his shoulder.

Havoc disappeared into the bedroom, arguing with Honoria in the process. A crash and a yelp were quickly followed with mild cursing. The gray cat streaked out, darting under the coffee table. Severn just ignored the ruckus.

Roy blinked, glancing at the puffed up gray form under the table for a moment, before deciding it was a better idea to ignore her.

Havoc stalked out, a very miffed expression on his face. He redisappeared into the bathroom.

For the briefest moment Roy thought to follow Havoc, then thought better of it and continued to stroke the small warm ball on his shoulder.

"Sorry about that," Havoc called from the bathroom, where he was currently trying to find bandages. "You might not want to go into the bedroom -- there's glass all over the floor." Honoria hissed, apparently telling off Havoc for something.

"You going to be alright? Sorry for putting your well-behaved little pet into a mood today..."

"I'm fine. I just cut my hand is all. And forget about Honoria, she's probably just PMSing." Severn murbled in what was clearly an amused way.

Roy chuckled lightly and stifled a yawn. "Ah.."

"If you hang on a sec, I'll sweep up the glass and you can take a nap." Havoc reappeared, his hand neatly wrapped. "Sorry to keep bothering you."

"No trouble at all...really..." Roy simply smiled.

Havoc snorted. "I'm sure."

Severn hopped down and made to follow the blond man into the bedroom, but he pointed back at Roy. "Nuh-uh," he said sternly. "Get back to your new boyfriend. I don't want your paws getting cut."

Roy scratched at the couch temptingly. "As much as the boyfriend comment irks me, he's right you know..."

Severn sat down, looking imploringly at both men with overlarge green eyes. She meowed piteously. "Go on," Havoc said clearly. "If you ask him nicely, he might give you a treat..." He jerked his head back towards the kitchen. "They're on the counter, sir." He popped into the bedroom, presumably to clean it up.

Roy got up off the couch, cringing just slightly as he heard a ripping sound near the floor. He sighed and shook his head at the torn leg of his uniform pants, eyeing the gray and seething furball of doom under the coffee table and walking past, ignoring further rips. Heading for the kitchen, he looked back over his shoulder at the small piteous overcute thing on the floor. "Well? Come on..."

Severn eyed Honoria foully, clearly plotting feline revenge. She got no farther than just plotting, though, when she saw Roy reach for the treats. She trotted happily after him, twining about his ankles lovingly.

Havoc swept up the glass, letting it rattle into the dustbin. He picked up the picture that had been in the frame, and his face relaxed momentarily into a grin. Funny, how you miss your family at the oddest moments. He put it face down on the bedside table.

The dark-haired man pulled out a few oddly smelling feline delicacies and took a seat on the kitchen floor, letting the adorable little fluffball bound into his lap to attempt and eat his fingers along with the treat.

Havoc appeared in the doorway, keeping Honoria back with a foot. A fond smile was on his face as he watched the kitten lick Roy's fingers.

Roy glanced up as he noticed Havoc's footsteps, returning a genuine smile of his own. Not often these days did he have room for one of those...

"She'll be miserable to see you go when you decide to leave," Havoc remarked quietly.

"I'll be sure to make frequent visits then..." Roy softly stroked the snoozing happy kittenball in his lap.

"We'd like that..." He caught a glimpse of the rents in Roy's pant leg. "Oh for... did Honoria get her claws into you?"

"Just the fabric, luckily...I can fix it without much hassle, it's nothing serious."

Havoc turned a glare of epic proportions on the scapegrace cat. Honoria slunk off to hide in depths unknown. Turning back to his C.O., he sighed. "I'm so sorry sir," he said apologetically. "If you want, I'll stitch up your pants."

Roy couldn't help but laugh. "I'm an alchemist, Jean, I can fix them myself. And enough with the 'sir', I think we're a bit beyond that at the moment..."

"Well, excuse me," Havoc said stiffly, his eyes glittering with high good humor. "Next time you get into a scrape, I'll just remember that you're an alchemist and fix things yourself." He violently beat back an impulsive urge to say the other man's name, mockingly or not.

Roy tilted his head a bit, leaning back on his hands. "It's just a scratch, torn fabric is nothing, you can stitch them if you want though, I'd appreciate the hospitality..."

"Hmph."

Roy made to stand up, much to the chagrin of the rather comfortable kitten in his lap, who he quickly scooped up to his shoulder again. "Wasn't there still something else you had to do?"

"What? Feed the cats or take a shower?"

"Well, you didn't mention having to take a shower, I believe that was my idea, but the cats I suppose might be hungry after all..."

He snorted. "Severn is stuffed silly. Just look at her. And Honoria is too miffed to eat anything." Even so saying, he dug out a fresh fish that he had picked up that morning and set it out. "There. Happy?"

"Alright..." Roy shrugged, earning an ear nip from Severn for moving his shoulders in the first place. He chuckled a bit and patted her before working loose the fasteners on his jacket, finally starting to feel a bit overdressed.

Havoc stretched mightily, back cracking. "I claim first dibs on the shower."

Roy nodded, heading for the bedroom. "Your house, go ahead, I'll wait."

"I'll be warming up some lunch after I'm done," he informed Roy. "How hungry are you?"

"Not really at the moment...I had a late breakfast..." _No thanks to Hawkeye..._ went unsaid.

"Suit yourself." He vanished into the bathroom, and a few moments later, a torrent of water could be heard.

Roy sighed, taking a seat on the bed and setting Severn next to him so that he might get up later without disturbing her.

The kitten curled up close to his thigh, purring quietly and contently.

Dark eyes closed as Roy just listened to the sound of purring and water raining from a showerhead in the next room.

Havoc shut off the water after a few minutes, snagging a towel and rubbing it over his head. Humming quietly to himself, he got dressed though he disdained putting his shirt back on. He hadn't washed it for a few days. Ambling out, he bumped into a very pissy-looking gray cat. "Oh, lighten up," he said.

Roy had already shed his jacket and started unbuttoning the white dress shirt underneath by the time Havoc left the bathroom, not at all surprised when the little calico trotted after him past the taller man towards it. He skillfully avoided the angry ball of gray and claws before slipping through the door with Severn at his heels.

Havoc tried not to smile -- it would only piss Honoria off even more. He nudged her with his foot. "Come on, you sulky thing. Ignore him." With the gray cat close and possessive at his heels, he went to heat up some food.

Just as Havoc had said, Roy found a sopping little ball of mewls rubbing against his ankles the second he stepped into the shower, and he almost had to laugh.

Havoc fed bits and pieces of chicken to Honoria, mollifying her a little bit. The pudding smelled wonderful, warm, homey, and savory. He found himself missing his family even more.

Honoria meowed at him. "I'm fine, old girl. Just a little homesick."

It wasn't too long before Roy finally gave up on having a decent shower and plucked the dripping purrball from slipping around on the floor to dry her off in his towel. "I don't know whether to think of you as the loopiest cat I've ever met or the friendliest..." Toweling his own hair off after fluffing up the little fuzzball that wouldn't let him be, Roy wrapped the terrycloth around his waist and stepped out of the bathroom, fur-a-shambles-calico in tow.

Havoc heard Roy exit the bathroom and began the countdown to the crash and yelp of his closet attacking. It had done it that morning, and chances were, it would do it again.

Surprisingly enough, Roy managed to rummage up a pair of overly loose, too-big pants without incident, yawning just slightly as he walked into the kitchen entryway, messy-furred calico on his bare shoulder.

Havoc had nodded off slightly in the warmth of the kitchen, the gray cat happily asleep in his lap.

Roy smiled, content to stand there in the doorway and smooth Severn's fur before it dried that way.

Havoc's head fell forward, jerking him back into wakefulness. "Mn? Oh. Sorry." He blinked blearily. "My god, I'm sure there are smaller pairs of pants in my closet."

"I was afraid it might eat me if I delved any further..." Roy just grinned at the look on Havoc's face.

"I'm sure." He gestured vaguely. "Food's ready if you want any. Excuse me for not serving you myself, but I have a rather grumpy cat on my lap."

"I noticed..." Roy still contented to simply stand there in the doorway and please the kitten on his shoulder.

"Suit yourself."

Roy would've shrugged, had the cat not been on his shoulder.

Havoc slumped back in his chair, eyes drifting closed tiredly,

Roy sighed this time, stepping into the kitchen and pulling up a chair adjacent to Havoc's. He reached out to ruffle the damp blond hair and grinned lightly. "You might want to move to the bed if you're going to fall asleep sitting up..."

Havoc jerked awake again. "M'm? I'll be fine..."

"Will not..." Roy watched as Severn hopped down from his shoulder to blink innocently up at Havoc.

Havoc grinned, scratching Severn behind her ear. "'Course I will."

"You're not falling asleep at the table as long as I'm here...might as well get up now and find a more suitable place..." Roy stood and moved around behind Havoc's chair, one hand holding up the pants just a bit, seeing as they drooped a bit dangerously low on his waist. He leaned over, letting the small calico nip his fingertip over Havoc's shoulder. "Come on..."

Havoc pointed down at his lap. "Evil cat from hell?"

Roy shrugged. "I thought you said she was well behaved around you?"

"You'll be waking her up from a sound sleep. You do the math."

"Correction. You will be waking her up from a sound sleep."

"Amounts to the same thing."

Roy sighed again. "Then transfer her from your lap to the table without waking her up. I've seen it done before."

The point was mooted when Honoria woke up on her own. She made to swipe at Roy with her claws out, but caught Havoc's scent on him. Sliding to the floor, she made no further issue about it.

Roy blinked slightly. "Well...that sure was interesting. Think you can move now?"

Havoc didn't hear him -- he had dropped off again.

This earned an eyeroll and a sigh from Roy as he nudged Havoc's arm just slightly. "Wake up sleepyhead, the bed's in the other room..."

"Mnrr? I'm awake, I'm awake..."

"Come on..." Roy tugged at Havoc's arm lightly, amused to see Severn nipping at the blond's fingers in an attempt to help.

Havoc aimed a slightly fuzzy glare at the kitten. "You're supposed to be on my side," he grumbled, staggering to his feet.

Roy smiled and offered the kitten a shoulder, using the other to help support Havoc's sleep-heavy form to the bedroom.

Havoc thumped down on his bed, gradually waking up from the blood flow. "My god, now you're ganging up on me? Roy, your pants are falling down."

The dark-haired man managed fairly well to hide a blush, tugging the garment up again as he took a seat next to Havoc.

Havoc snorted. "You should have looked for smaller clothing, I'm telling you."

"I'd rather not have been attacked by your closet, and I'm perfectly fine with what I'm wearing, thank you." He didn't, however, manage to hide the blush when Severn decided to start kneading his lap.

Havoc dissolved into laughter.

Roy simply glowered, plucking the kitten from his lap and setting her off to the side a bit. "That's not funny..."

"Yes it is..."

"Shut up..."

That just set Havoc off again. Severn just looked smug.

Roy sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Oh, lighten up."

"You sure you want me to?" Mustang offered a playful grin.

"Sure, why not? You spend so much time clammed up that it gets boring."

Roy tilted his head thoughtfully. "Hnn...I still can't be entirely sure if you really know what you're getting into.."

"I'm not trying to get into anything. I wasn't even aware that there was something to get into."

"Exactly..." Roy lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Huh?"

"Maybe you really do need to get some rest, Jean..."

"Or maybe you can just tell me what's going on in that head of yours," he suggested.

"Maybe you don't really want to know..."

"Oh, helpy help," Havoc said sarcastically. "It's the return of the Rugged, Manly, Mysterious Colonel."

"I just don't think it's a good idea right now..." Roy rolled over onto his side, back to Havoc.

"Hmph."

"You're welcome to prove to me otherwise..." The smaller man shrugged lightly.

"How can I prove anything? YOU'RE the one being all mysterious and enigmatic. I'm just a simple farm boy."

_It's probably for your own good..._ "I don't know..."

Havoc shook his head. "Even after all these years, you make no sense."

"Guess it's just a nasty little habit of mine..."

"I'll say."

"Sorry?"

"H'm?"

Roy just shook his head. Now he was starting to confuse himself.

Havoc shrugged, falling back and stretching his arms over his head. Severn minced over to stand commandingly on his stomach. "I'll say," he said to her. "You think he's going to be a bad influence on you?"

Roy reached back and dangled a finger for Severn to nip at.

She swiped lazily at it for a few minutes, then jumped off the bed and putzed out.

Roy sighed and once more rolled over onto his back, staring at the ceiling.

Havoc traced the line of a crack lazily. "I'm going to have to fix that..."

Roy avoided the automatic 'I can fix it, I'm an alchemist!' and settled for a noncommittal "Hn.."

"By all rights, I should leap up and run to get the putty with boundless energy," Havoc said dreamily. "But screw that. I'm infinitely more comfortable flat on my back."

Roy mentally cursed his libido, rolling back over so his back was to Havoc.

Havoc continued his monologue. "So I guess the great household gods will have to deal with me slithering out of bed with less than desirable energy."

Roy was unable to catch himself that time. "Or you could just stay in bed..."

"But if I stay in bed, I'm going to completely forget about it," Havoc pointed out, not quite innocently.

Oh, this was going everywhere it shouldn't too fast... "What's so bad about that?"

"The fact that I will forget about it." Havoc finally managed to haul himself up. "Now all I have to do is remember where I stuck the putty."

Roy silently thanked ignorance and how oblivious Havoc could be at some times, sighing heavily.

"Hrm." Havoc rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It can't be in too many places in this dump..."

Roy immediately squelched the thought that rose, pulling the pants up a bit higher subconsciously.

Havoc blinked at him. "Something wrong? You're bright pink."

_Well shit..._ Roy rolled over onto his stomach, burying his face in a pillow. "S'nothin'...'mfine..."

Havoc blinked. Then things clicked. "Right-o, I'm sleeping on the couch!" He immediately vacated the bed.

On an instinct, Roy bolted upright, grabbing onto Havoc's wrist before he really knew what he was doing.

Havoc stood there, tapping his foot with his arm in Roy's firm, possessive grip. "Hello? Earth to Roy?"

Roy blinked for a second, then his eyes focused and he flushed crimson, though he didn't loosen his grip. "I can control myself, thank you..."

"I don't doubt that. Could you let go now? I think you're cutting off the circulation to my hand."

"Only if you promise not to run off..." Roy managed a weak smile.

Havoc had no idea what to say. So he just gaped.

"Oh come on..."

"Er..."

Roy sighed heavily, relinquishing his grip and flopping back on the bed again only to curl up on his side. He waved an arm. "Sure...whatever..."

Still a bit wary, Havoc disappeared, beating a hasty retreat to the couch out front.

Roy snatched a pillow from the other side of the bed, clinging to it and burying his face in the linen cover. If by chance it ended up wet, he would blame it on drooling. Because Roy Mustang didn't cry into pillows.

Havoc stood in front of a stuffed bookcase, trying to find something that would take his mind off the complicated mess that his life had abruptly become.

The fact that Roy was curled in a ball on a twin-sized bed alone didn't help his feeling small complex one bit. Nope, it really really didn't.

A quiet meep sounded from the doorway.

Roy lifted his head, sitting up on the bed to look at the door, wiping his eyes a bit.

Severn had to make two tries to get up on the bed because of her tiny size, but she made it up eventually. She rubbed her head against her favorite person's knee.

A small, sad smile crept onto Roy's face, as he reached out and pulled the kitten up onto the pillow in his lap to pet her. "At least you didn't run away..."

She nipped his finger, tugging a bit.

Roy blinked, tilting his head. "Nn? What is it?"

Severn hopped off the pillow and pranced down to the end of the bed, her tail twitching expectantly.

Roy stared in disbelief for a second, then ran his fingers through his hair exhaustedly. "Don't tell me you're trying to play matchmaker now..."

She just yawned at him.

He sighed, wiping at his eyes some more and putting the pillow back in its place to crawl after the little calico. "What do you want from me..." Roy reached out to pet her.

The kitten rubbed her head against Roy's hand, purring.

Roy sighed again, scritching behind her ears. "That's one thing about cats though...unconditional love..."

Severn's back arched as she rubbed under Roy's fingers, purring until her long whiskers vibrated.

Fingers stilled for a moment as Roy shivered, one hand reaching back instinctively for the pillow.

Severn looked up, her big eyes slightly hurt.

Roy shook his head and scooped the tiny kitten up in his hands to nuzzle his cheek against her. "Sorry...just thinking..."

A soft, suede-fine paw slapped playfully against his cheekbone. Severn had discovered the joys of playing with Roy's hair.

Roy's smile faded slowly as the kitten played with his hair, and for a moment he wished he were back in his office under a mountain of paperwork with Hawkeye breathing down his neck to get it done...

A particularly enthusiastic swing overbalanced the kitten and she tumbled with a squeak of dismay down onto the bed where she bounced a bit, coming to no harm.

He shook his head and peeked down at Severn, before closing his eyes and curling up again with the pillow clutched tightly to his chest. What a mess...

Severn eyed him with dismay. She meowed huffily, whapping repeatedly at his knee.

"Don't you ever sleep?" It might've come a bit muffled considering Roy had his face in the pillow. "I'm trying to feel sorry for myself here..."

"And it won't work, not with her hanging around," Havoc's voice said wryly from the doorway. "Trust me, I've tried."

_Fuck...there goes that idea... _Roy felt a knot tighten in his throat which he swallowed a bit roughly. "Come back to mock me?"

"No, I'm here with a cup of coffee for you. Or does that count as 'mocking' in your book?"

Roy sat up, rubbing his slightly red eyes. "Coffee in the middle of the afternoon?" He'd given up on trying to hide the fact that he'd been crying even in the least.

"Of course. It's decaf; I hope you don't mind, but caffeine isn't good for little kitties." Severn had perked up at the word 'coffee' and was apparently awaiting something.

Roy eyed Severn curiously. "She likes coffee?"

"Oddly enough, yes." Havoc came in and passed a warm mug to Roy. On the bed, he set down a tiny saucer filled with coffee. "There you go, sweetheart." The kitten drank down the coffee with gusto.

"Interesting cats you've got..." Roy gingerly sipped the hot drink. All was silent for a while save the sipping and purring, until Roy spoke again. "Sorry..."

"Not this again..."

"I ran you off, you expect me not to be?"

"Look, the more you say you're sorry, the more I get annoyed! Just DO something about it." There. It was out.

Roy ducked his head slightly, idly trying to formulate something logical out of his coffee cup, as if it would tell him what to do. My, coffee was an interesting color...

A small calico paw invaded his field of view, trying to dip into his mug. "Severn, cut that out," Havoc said, amused, but there was no force to the command. She kept trying.

Roy's eyes softened as he lightly batted at the paw, halfheartedly. "I don't want to fuck up again, Jean..." He shook his head and gave up, setting the coffee cup on the side table and placing Severn next to it where she could reach it. "I don't know what to do..."

"You'll figure something out," Havoc said confidently.

"Would you just run off again if I tried?"

"If it wasn't a halfassed attempt like the other ones, no."

Roy frowned slightly. "I wasn't trying to halfass anything...you were going to leave, I just did the only thing that came to mind...is that a bad thing?"

"Sometimes, yes."

The dark-haired man resisted the urge to immediately spout the inevitable 'sorry' and instead moved behind Havoc, arms wrapping around the taller man's waist as he nuzzled his face against his back. "Will you stay with me this time...?" Roy murmured against Jean's back.

"Convince me."

"How...?"

"You'll come up with something."

"For all I know you might run off if I do...you ran off the first time and I didn't do a damn thing.."

"What if I promise to stay put?"

Roy sighed, tightening his grip slightly. "I still think it would be a better idea if I didn't have to convince you of anything...I mean it's just so sudden..." he paused. "I wouldn't want to end up doing something I'd regret later..."

Havoc prudently chose to keep any and all comments to himself.

"You never said one way or another...I feel like I'm intruding..."

" 'Intruding'? An odd word choice, that."

Roy was glad for once he was unable to be seen, due to the flush that earned. "That's not what I meant..."

"Would you believe me if I said that's not what I meant, either?"

"I don't even know what you meant..."

"What makes you think you're... 'intruding'? I've tried to make you feel as at home as possible."

"I feel like I should be..."

"Uh-huh."

Roy huffed slightly and pulled Havoc down on the bed, holding him back against his chest and sighing against his neck. "Just stay here for now okay..."

"Gladly."

A light kiss was placed against Havoc's neck as Roy shifted slightly behind him. "Jean...?"

"What's wrong?"

Roy shook his head a bit and moved one arm up to slide around Havoc's shoulder. "Nothing..."

"All right."

Despite his firm resolutions to stay put, Roy still found himself shifting every so often, unable to get comfortable for some reason.

"Am I too heavy?"

"What kind of a question is that? Why would you even think something like that?" Roy was positively baffled.

"Because you keep squirming around..."

"What would your weight have to do with that?"

"Just a thought."

"Hnn..." Roy shifted a bit more, content for a while to nibble lightly on Havoc's ear.

The attention was nice, but Havoc wanted something to do. Anything, really.

Without even really realizing it, Roy's free hand had begun to wander a bit.

Havoc's muscles tensed as Roy's hand drifted aimlessly. "Um? Roy?"

"Nn..." half asleep, Roy really could only offer that as a response.

"Right." Havoc got himself situated more comfortably and prepared for a nap.

A half asleep Roy, on the other hand, was a Roy who acted purely on whim...well, that and hormones...and it just so happened that his hand was not going to stop any time soon.

Havoc's eyes popped open, badly startled. "Roy, this is more than just slightly important..."

Roy grunted slightly against Havoc's neck, being jerked back unwillingly into coherence. "What is it, Jean..."

"Other than the fact that you're feeling me without seeming to give a damn or even knowing about it? Really says something about my appeal..."

"I what?" Roy blinked for a moment, realized the current location of his hand, and swiftly made a startled retreat to the opposite end of the bed. "FUCK..."

"This is a shining example of halfassing something. Either do it or don't." Havoc propped himself up on his elbows. "I'm so glad to know I've made such an impression on you," he drawled self-depreciatingly.

_Only good for a substitute... never good enough as yourself, are you, Jean?_

Roy groaned, head in hands. That was most definitely not what he'd meant to do...not at all... "Fucked up again didn't I..." he mumbled into his hands.

Havoc was too deep in his fight with his massive inferiority complex to even notice. And damn it all if he wasn't LOSING.

"Jean...?" Roy looked up, frowning slightly as he moved back across the bed to Havoc's side.

Havoc had drawn his legs up, forehead resting on his knees. His inferiority complex had won out, and he really didn't feel like talking to anyone. Roy least of all.

Well, this wouldn't do... Roy sighed and moved behind Havoc, arms around his waist and lips brushing softly against his neck below his ear. "Why are you doing this to yourself, Jean..."

"Doing what?" he asked bitterly. "Making my life even more hellish than it already was? Sorry, but that wasn't me."

"Fine...but I can't apologize, remember? That just irritates you. What do you propose I do about it?"

"Just forget about it. If I don't matter enough that you actually REALIZE what you're doing, then it's pointless." He wished the entire mess would go away, that he had never met Ed, that he had never joined the military.

"Is it a crime for me to not realize what I'm doing when I'm half asleep, Jean?! Well I'm not half asleep now, and damn it all if I don't want to do that again!" Roy shoved Havoc's shoulder. "Fuck if I haven't wanted to since I got here, I just didn't want to push you away by diving right into it!"

"It would have been easier for the both of us if you had!" Havoc snapped back. "Instead you had to say you wouldn't do this to me, and then going and pulling an Ed on me! It may be a mere annoyance to you, but goddammit, it HURTS!"

"You think I don't know that! I haven't thought for a goddamn second you were any kind of replacement for anybody, you know, what you're doing right now is what fucking hurts, Jean!"

"Then let's get this straightened out here and now to save us this idiocy. You WILL NOT touch me like that unless you are fully aware of it and you actually mean it." He took a deep breath, calming somewhat. "Things like these aren't fixed in a few hours. Especially if they've been going on for as long as they have. I know it's not easy for either of us, but you just have to give me time."

"That's what I was trying to do..." Roy choked out, trying to keep himself from breaking down again.

Havoc turned, his face softening. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled like that."

Roy opened his mouth to respond with something that would deny that, but closed it again and just looked for a moment. He then just shook his head briefly before leaning forward and securing Havoc's mouth in a fiery, almost possessive kiss.

Havoc blinked, stiffening in surprise. But when Roy's arms tightened possessively, he decided that it would be better to think about it later. Yeah, later. Preferably tomorrow morning.

Severn eyed her two males sulkily. She jumped back onto the bed, meeping furiously around them. Finally, she just tried to worm her way in-between.

Roy pulled back and looked down once he felt the insistent pricking of tiny claws, heaving a sigh at the look the small kitten gave him. Well...that was going to present a problem...

"I think we have an audience," Havoc remarked quietly, laughter thick in his voice. He nodded back to the door; Honoria sat there, apparently furious.

Roy glanced towards the door as well, running his fingers through his hair shortly. "Doesn't look like a very happy audience..."

"So?" Havoc scooped up Severn, who squeaked unhappily, and set her outside his room, nudging Honoria along with his foot. He shut the door firmly, then turned back to face Roy, leaning casually against the venerable wood.

A thud and scratching from two little kitties demanded re-entry.

A predatory flame had lit in Roy's eyes and he rose from the bed, closing the distance between it and the door with fluid ease to press his body up against Havoc's, arms around his neck. He grinned slightly, trailing light nips and kisses up Jean's neck and under his chin, mumbling against his skin. "Seems they're even less happy about that..."

"I could always let them back in," Havoc said lightly, grinning lopsidedly.

Roy bit down lightly. "I'd rather stay in one piece for the most part..."

Havoc breathed in sharply. "That's an attitude that I share right now," he said weakly.

After soothing the bite with his tongue, Roy moved on to Havoc's mouth again, one hand trailing down his spine through the thin material of his shirt.

Havoc slumped back against the door, pulling the smaller man closer and wrapping his arms around Roy's shoulders.

Roy broke off the kiss quicker than he would have liked, sighing slightly. "Bed..." was all he could think to say before claiming those lips again. He wasn't quite sure if he could follow his own advice at the moment, though.

Havoc decided to ignore that. He was rapidly finding out (to his everlasting embarrassment) that he really really liked being kissed by Roy. There was just something fundamentally comfortable about it.

Roy, on the other hand, was trying desperately to recall if he'd read anywhere that second-hand nicotine could be addictive as well.

Havoc disengaged his mouth from Roy's having come up with a most unpleasant snag -- he still needed to breathe, unfortunately.

"Bed...?" Roy highly doubted that it was just the lack of oxygen that was starting to make him feel lightheaded, though for a moment he gulped air like it was life.

That earned a put-upon sigh. "If you insist..."

"I don't, really...just logic tells me it would be a better place for this."

Havoc snorted. "Since when have I ever been logical?" he murmured into Roy's ear, nipping slightly.

Roy purred lightly, the teeth on his ear sending shivers down his spine. "Point...well it's up to you...I for one really don't care right now..."

Havoc chuckled, licking, kissing, and nipping his way down Roy's neck. "I could care less."

"Suit..._-ah-_...yourself..." Roy tilted his head to allow for easier access, hands intently shoving up Havoc's shirt.

"Sorry, but no," Havoc purred, removing the hands out from underneath his shirt. "Hands against the door, please."

Roy growled slightly, but did as he was asked.

Havoc began to run his tongue down Roy's chest, inflicting a tortuous thoroughness that was probably driving Roy nuts.

Roy groaned softly, nails scratching against the wood of the door as he let his eyes close of their own volition, arching his back against the damp heat of Havoc's tongue.

Havoc nipped below Roy's navel, then soothed away the pain with teasing licks. Nuzzling up against the shorter man's sharp hipbone, he finally dropped down into a more comfortable kneeling position.

A light shiver ran down Roy's spine as he let his head drop, dark eyes gazing half-lidded down at Havoc. He sighed lightly, tiring of holding out his arms as he let his hands fall to rest on Havoc's shoulders. "Jean..."

Havoc looked up briefly, startled at the sudden touch. Absently, his hand tugged down the overlarge pants that Roy wore.

Roy shuddered as the cool air of the room wafted across slightly damp, heated, entirely oversensitive skin. He wanted to pull Jean back up again, wanted to kiss him, tangle his fingers in tawny locks and just get lost in it all, and god did he _want_!

Havoc's tongue darted out to briefly tease Roy's tip, then he leaned back against the door, waiting.

Roy gasped sharply, snapping out of his train of thought long enough to shake the glaze from his eyes and peer down into clear blue. His eyes were searching, questioning, as if to say 'what now...?' He swallowed hard, waiting himself for some kind of signal, for Havoc to give the go-ahead before he just did what he pleased like it or not.

Havoc trailed gentle fingers over Roy's midsection. "Well?"

Muscles twitched under Havoc's fingers and Roy tightened one hand's grip on his shoulder. "Well what? You need a fucking written invitation?"

Havoc outright laughed at that. "My, my," he murmured, letting his fingertips drift lower.

Roy mumbled something incoherent under his breath in response.

"Come again?" he said, right before leaning in for another taste.

The darker man had just opened his mouth to retort wittily when Havoc leaned in again, successfully reducing any wit into a low groan.

Havoc went slowly at first, experimenting to find out just what Roy reacted to. His hands lazily slid up the outsides of Roy's thighs, wrapping around his hips to keep him still.

Roy tested Havoc's grip by jerking his hips experimentally, shivering despite himself as one hand left his shoulder to twine careful fingers into Jean's hair at the back of his head.

Havoc licked lightly at the slit, his tongue pressing hard against hot skin down to the base.

That earned a long, low moan from Roy as the hand in Havoc's hair tightened its grip just slightly.

Taking the moan as his just due, Havoc slid his hands up to the small of Roy's back, even as he bathed the tip with his tongue.

The dark-haired man tried opening his mouth to say something, but only succeeded in a garbled "Nngh..." So he tried again, this time managing "Guh..." Apparently, trying to form coherent words was a bad idea for Roy at this particular time.

Havoc took it as a compliment. "Don't hurt yourself," he murmured, still teasing Roy.

Jean's comment received a husky growl, his teasing warranting a sudden thrust of Roy's hips.

Havoc was ready for the thrust, swallowing Roy whole.

Roy's breath caught in his throat for a few moments as his hips continued to rock of their own volition, his mediocre attempts to still them only resulting in an odd jerking motion as logic was met with all too pleasurable resistance.

Havoc's hands danced over Roy, stroking, tickling, encouraging him to loose control and just feel.

"Fuck...Jean..." Both hands now tangled in Havoc's hair, Roy held the blond's head in place, just letting go and continuing to thrust long and hard into the searing heat of the other man's mouth. Irregularly spaced pants and moans danced on the air, wrenching themselves from Roy's throat every so often as sensations ripped through his nerves.

Havoc knew that it was out of his hands now -- if it had ever been in his hands. His tongue still teased the other man, but he just let Roy have his way.

Roy distantly heard Jean's name, moaned in a voice he vaguely recognized as his own. Not long after his thrusts became erratic, white bathing his vision suddenly as he shuddered release in Havoc's throat. He couldn't be sure if he made a sound, though, every last thought focused below his waist and the heat that enveloped him still.

Havoc released Roy when the man seemed in danger of toppling over. He reached up, gently guiding him down into his arms.

Dark hair clung sweat-soaked to Roy's forehead and the back of his neck, just the way Roy himself now clung limply to Jean, slowly catching his breath and kissing every inch of skin his mouth could find.

Havoc caught Roy's lips with his own in a gentle kiss. "You should take five," he murmured fondly.

"Jean..." Roy was slowly dragging himself up from the hazy contentment he'd fallen into, tasting the slightly bitter tang of himself on Havoc's lips and lifting his head to take another sample. "You're still wearing clothes..."

"Yes, most people are at half-past two."

Roy had to turn that statement over a few times in his head before it really sunk in. "...Oh..."

"And aren't you supposed to be taking a nap?" He brushed damp hair away from Roy's forehead.

"Same goes for you..." Roy leaned in again, catching the faint residual taste of Havoc's lunch and grinning at it.

Havoc snorted. "I'm not tired. However, I do have some leftover paperwork that I need to finish, so get up into bed."

Roy grumbled at that, shooting a half-hearted glare towards his still-dressed subordinate. In whose lap he was still sitting. Naked.

"You're not moving..."

"Of course I'm not..."

"Why not?" Blue eyes sparkled innocently at him.

"What a silly question..." Roy just gazed back as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

All right, maybe his eyes weren't quite innocent. "I'm well-known for being silly, sir."

"Of that I'm well aware, Lieutenant, but something as silly as paperwork after a blowjob?"

Havoc chuckled. "Fine, but you get to scrape up the pieces after Riza gets finished with me."

Roy shrugged, his sneaky ninja fingers creeping up Havoc's shirt again.

Havoc nudged his hands away. "Roy..."

Dark eyes looked up at Havoc, questioningly innocent. Well okay, more mischief than innocence. "Yes, Jean?"

"Go to bed."

Roy pretended to think about that for a long hard tenth of a second. "No."

Havoc rolled eyes and began to rub his forehead. "Please?"

"Only if you'll be joining me the second you can't concentrate on your work anymore..." Roy purred, tracing his tongue along the shell of Havoc's ear.

"Yes, whatever. Now scat."

"You don't sound so convincing..." Roy nipped a bit roughly just below Havoc's earlobe.

"Probably because I'm not convinced myself."

Roy frowned at that. "And just what is that supposed to mean..."

"I'll tell you later." He pushed Roy a little. "Come on, get going. Otherwise Riza's going to have my hide and any hope of a repeat performance will be out the window."

That got Mustang moving, albeit grudgingly, as he somewhat shakily got to his feet only to collapse onto the bed mere seconds after, pulling the covers up past his waist. "Just keep that gray mass of claws and teeth away from me for the time being and I'll be content to wait..."

"Of course." He opened the door, and a tiny streak of calico bounded into the room, scrambling onto the bed. Havoc chuckled and left, scooping up the gray cat and chatting to her as he went to dig out the overdue paperwork.

Roy grinned lazily at the fluffball that had darted immediately across his chest to nuzzle under his chin. "Sorry about that...wouldn't want to accidentally step on you..." He scritched behind her ears softly.

Severn curled up and began to purr happily.

Havoc spread out his work on the low coffee table, then remembered he needed the 'Who's Who' book that all Army Staff Personnel were required to have. He had left it in the bedroom last night. His luck SUCKED.

Roy let his eyes drift closed, petting of the kitten idly slowing as he bit back a yawn.

Havoc snuck into his bedroom. There it was! The big black book sat on the bedside table. Right next to Roy. Oh, well. He padded over, hefting the heavy thing.

One dark eye opened lazily, watchfully. "Back already?"

"No, I'm just getting a book. It's hard to write up a prosecution case if you don't know what you're talking about."

Roy frowned slightly, responding with a somewhat disappointed "Oh..."

Havoc smiled and ruffled the black mop of hair. "I'll be back soon enough, so don't worry." He ran a finger down Severn's backbone. The kitten yawned sleepily, and rubbed her head against his hand. "All I have to do is some minor stuff -- write up the list of accusations, classify each, yadda yadda."

That earned a sigh, but Roy nodded and closed his eyes again, shifting slightly under the covers and the cat.

Havoc disappeared out the door, suddenly not wanting to do his job very much.

Roy shifted again to get comfortable, earning a small meep from Severn to which he apologized with scritches.

Havoc sat down with the book in his lap. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a lighter and a slightly squashed pack of cigarettes. He lit one and began to work.

"You think that hissy fit of a queen'll warm up to me eventually?" Roy questioned the kitten curled upon his chest.

Severn yawned, stretching out a foreleg and resting the paw on his chin. "Merp," she assured him.

Roy chuckled at that. "We'll see..."

She yawned again, gave a cat sigh, and proceeded to fall asleep, ears twitching occasionally.

Roy opened one eye to gaze down at the ball of fur warming his collarbone, sighing himself.

A deeper meow sounded from the foot of the bed, accompanied by the squeak of springs.

Roy blinked, trying to see past Severn's fuzz to the foot of the bed.

Honoria padded up. It was obvious she hated the bed, but she sat down by Roy's hip anyway.

Roy reached out a hand in offering, surprised that he wasn't being mauled at the moment. "Change of heart?"

She very carefully sniffed his hand, finding even more of Havoc's scent on the man. Finally she gave him a look that said quite clearly: 'You'll do.'

The look earned a smile and Roy rubbed dutifully behind her ears. "It's an honor, m'lady..."

Honoria's gold eyes shut slightly. The sound she was making wasn't quite a purr, but it was close.

Roy thought back on the days when he might have considered having pets... Of course, he was far too busy to give them a very good home and lavish them with attention...

Honoria's entire body spun around in an instant, and she was bounding to the edge of the bed like a kitten. Havoc's low chuckle could be heard, along with a few words of affection.

This time Roy did sit up, causing a disoriented kitten to tumble down into his lap sleepily. "Done?"

Havoc had picked up Honoria, holding her cuddled close. "Yeah. The poor sod's pretty much convicted by the looks of it."

"All too familiar by now, isn't it?"

"Unfortunately." He allowed Honoria to nibble on his shirt. "It's weird; you never hear of these people in the papers, but they're still out there, wreaking havoc on citizens. This time it was a rogue alchemist who decided that every single other alchemist in the country should be killed..."

"Worse than the predicament with Scar, at least he only went after State Alchemists..."

"But this guy was worse. He didn't explode them -- he MANGLED them." Havoc shuddered. "It was horrible."

Roy shuddered slightly as well, lying back again.

Havoc sat down on the foot of the bed, petting Honoria.

Roy shook his head for no particular reason, sighing and curling on his side despite the pitiful mewls coming from the bundle of fur that was toppled off his lap. Why did he suddenly feel out of place again?

Severn swiped at him, mewing in annoyance. "Oy, you've upset your girlfriend," Havoc said, grinning.

"Very funny..." Roy ruffled the kitten's fur a bit.

"Well, what else could she be? She's genuinely attached to you."

"And you'll be whining to the others at the office tomorrow about how I stole another one of your girlfriends, won't you?" Roy let the kitten lick at his fingertips and shot a grin over his shoulder at Jean.

"Of course." He grinned back.

"Too predictable...when do you think they'll catch on?"

"Right along when the whole of civilization goes kaput." Havoc allowed Honoria to jump down and mince out. "The only one that I could see actually catching on is Riza. Even Hughes can be kind of dense sometimes."

"You're not giving him enough credit for figuring these sorts of things out, you know...He's not quite as loopy as you'd think..." Roy neglected to mention the years before the war, it was best left unsaid, really.

Havoc leaned back on his elbows. "I'm not saying that he's not brilliant, I'm just saying that there are some things that he hasn't figured out that are blindingly obvious."

"Or maybe he has, just doesn't feel like letting on that he has."

"No, trust me, there are some things that he hasn't actually figured out."

"Alright..."

Havoc glanced up and saw the crack again. "Dammit, I KNEW I'd forget that thing was there."

Roy reached out and lightly brushed his fingers along Havoc's spine. "Care to forget it again?"

Havoc caught Roy's hand, bringing it to his lips and gently kissing the fingertips. "I never was one for home repair," he said thoughtfully.

_Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly..._ Roy chuckled at the thought. "Good..."

"But I think you're forgetting someone," the blond remarked, nodding at Severn.

That earned a sigh. "Woe is me..."

Havoc snorted. "C'mon, Severn, up and out."

The kitten yawned sleepily, crawled up over Roy and pattered out of the room.

"They're pretty obedient for cats..."

"They trust me and I trust them," he said. "Really, it's just that simple."

"Would they ask 'how high?' if you said to jump?"

"I don't know. The issue's never come up."

"Ah..." Roy flopped back down on the bed, still managing a bit of grace despite the obvious ungracefulness of the action.

For no particular reason, Havoc heaved a sigh.

"Coming?" Roy looked at the taller man expectantly.

"Ask nicely."

Roy 'harrumphed' at that, sitting up to drag Havoc back down with him in a playful tangle.

"Well, you're impatient," Havoc said cheerfully.

"I would've thought you'd be more impatient having to wait that long.."

"M'm? Oh, stuff like that's never really bothered me."

"Well damn you then..." Roy pulled on Havoc's shirt, bringing him close for a warm, wet kiss.

After one or the other broke the kiss, Havoc nuzzled Roy's ear. "So what are you planning to do to me?"

Slipping his hands up under Havoc's shirt, Roy mumbled against his throat, "Make love to you like it's the first time and fuck you like it's the last..." Any responses were cut off with a slow, tenderly passionate kiss as the dark-haired man held true to his word.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 

This section was solely for the purpose of explaining how Havoc and Roy got together, and the direction that this is going from a pairing point of view after the whole HavocxEd and then RoyxEd things. This happened before Ed died.


	13. A Call to Arms

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**A Call to Arms

* * *

** **Rating: **PG  
**Pairings: **Implied HavocxRoy and RoyxEd.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **None really.  
**Setting: **Central.**  
Timeline: **Just before Ed was sent on the mission that put him face to face with Kimbley. FLASHBACK. This section and the previous are purely for filling in a few details.

* * *

It was Friday, and everybody knew what that meant: payday. Around about quarter till five, their officegirl (they worked on individual floors) always showed up with the envelopes. Stapled to said envelopes was always a morass of extraneous paper. Work, fliers, notices, memos, updates and the newsletter that some twit higher up in Administration put out. 

Havoc didn't even bother to look up when the stack of dead tree slapped down onto his desk. He nudged it aside, still writing. Even if he wasn't busy, he'd still not be able to open it, due to the unwritten law in Mustang's staff pool, enforced by Havoc himself: you weren't allowed to open anything till after office hours.

Mustang poked his head out of his office for a moment to flash the pretty young girl a dashing smile, but more importantly to gaze around at his subordinates. Once the girl was gone, little floaty hearts and all, he voiced his concerns. "I'm a bit surprised...has Fullmetal not come to harrass me at least once today?"

"Haven't heard anything," Havoc said abstractedly, checking the next bloody dogtag. How he always got coerced into filling out death certificates escaped him.

"You'd think he would have noticed the--" As if on cue, the office door buckled under the force of an automail foot and swung up with a crash, a fuming, red-clad chibi huffing in the doorway.

"WHO THE HELL HAD THE BRIGHT IDEA TO SWITCH MY TOOTHPASTE WITH GLUE!"

Snickers circulated around the office pool. "Right on time," Farman said, checking his watch.

The snickers only caused the small alchemist to fume even more, why, you could practically see the smoke pouring from his ears! For such a tiny boy, Fullmetal had a very, VERY large voice when need be. He spun around, coat fluttering with the abrupt movement, and slammed the doors shut. With a clap of his hands, Ed had sealed the office completely. "NOBODY LEAVES UNTIL I FIND THE SMARTASS WHO DID IT!"

Roy in the meantime had snuck back into his own office, packing up his things to go home by means of the other door.

An overloud bang echoed through the once-office-now-cave. Liza holstered her still-smoking gun. "Major Elric, please have a care for the people working. Lieutenant Havoc is working on some very time sensitive documents and he cannot be disturbed."

Mustang exited his office just in time to catch the most amusing scene he'd been faced with all week. As if it weren't enough that he knew exactly what Fullmetal was ranting about, Riza had predictably taken care of the situation already. Roy had to hide his grin upon spotting Edward standing there stock still and white as a sheet with a smoking hole next to his head and his hair standing on end like a startled cat. "If you wouldn't mind changing the door back now, Fullmetal?"

Ed was about to make a snappy retort when he could the split-second glint in Roy's eyes and went a nice shade of crimson, turning around and fixing the door only to run right out of it at high speed.

"See you on Monday, sir," Havoc said, still scritching away with that blasted fountain pen. "These'll be on your desk to sign."

Roy eyed the stack and winced visibly. "Right... Don't stress yourself too much, have a good weekend!" With that, he made a beeline for the door, only to be stopped in his tracks by the sound of a safety clicking off. The Colonel gulped, not moving.

"Where are those papers that you were supposed to have signed?" Liza asked in a tranquil voice.

Havoc choked on his own tongue, trying not to laugh.

"I...uh...on my desk, where else?" Roy still didn't turn around, ready to make a run for it the second he got the chance.

"Are they signed?" The entire staff hit the ground and hid under their desks at the slightly menacing tinge to the formidable lady's voice.

"Of course!" The Colonel was wishing at that time that he didn't have such a habit of instantaneous responses under stress. He was already inching towards the door ever so slightly.

"Will you go get them so Havoc can send them to Command?" The slightest of clicks signalled the slack of her trigger being taken up.

Panic. "I thought that those documents didn't need to go out until Monday?"

"Change of schedule," Havoc said, stapling a dogtag to yet another death certificate. "Command wants them now."

Dark eyes darted to Havoc with a look that screamed 'WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT EARLIER I WOULDN'T HAVE PROCRASTINATED! (as much)'

The object of Roy's fury just grinned and went back to work. "You didn't ask."

Roy immediately dropped his things next to the door and, hands up, slowly backed right back into his office.

Liza holstered her gun and locked the door. "Thank you, Havoc. I knew we could get him to finish the work today if we played off his panic instinct."

Havoc chuckled, picking up his cigarette and tapping off the ash. "It was priceless, Riza. Priceless."

As the clock ticked past five, Roy was plotting revenge. Oh, and skimming documents to sign, signing them, and getting ink all over his new gloves. Damn leaky pens...

As the time passed five-thirty, Fury looked up. "Who's going to clean up this mess today? There are file folders everywhere."

En masse, the staff looked at Havoc. "What?"

Sometime around five forty-five, Roy was becoming very well accquainted with the polished wooden surface of his desk.

As usual, Riza was the last one out, save for Havoc. "Don't forget to put a note on Farman's dustcover. The shift key is sticking."

Havoc saluted, stacking the papers up neatly. "Sure thing. The spackle is still in the utility closet, right?"

Did we mention that Roy was getting to know his desk? Very, VERY well?

Havoc suddenly remembered about his superior officer after refiling folders, spackling up the newest bulletholes, and putting a sticky note on the typewriter. He unlocked the door and poked his head in. "Sir? Don't you have a date with Ed tonight?"

Roy started, shaking his head a bit and absently wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth. "Huh...?"

"You're hopeless. Did you get everything signed?"

Roy nodded absently. "Yeah...I think...Ed? He'd probably make me sleep outside, seeing as he knows full well who switched his toothpaste..."

"Yeah, but we put you up to it. If anything, you can blame it on me." There was a certain mischevious twinkle in his eye. "And if he does kick you out..." the offer hung provocatively. "Anyway, get going. I'm closing up for the weekend."

"Ah...I'll keep that in mind..." Roy got to his feet, stretched, and nodded, gathering up his things. "Oh...I was thinking about getting a bite to eat on the way out, you hungry?"

"Sure." He followed his superior through the office pool, snagging up the paycheck. "You mind if I open this in your exalted presence? You already know how much I get paid anyway..."

Roy nodded, flicking off the lights as he opened the door. "You know you're the only one that really supports that rule, Lieutenant." It was in jest, though, as Mustang had a grin on his face.

"Some people have less of a social life than others," Havoc said with dignity, locking the door behind him. "Take, for instance, Fury. He has more women in this base chasing after him than I do."

"That's because he's baby cute, like Alphonse," Roy countered, lifting a finger. "They probably would rather have him as a little brother or a puppy dog and you know it."

"But still, he has them and I don't. Hell, I think BREDA has more women after him than I do..."

"You're only saying that because you see every 'potential girlfriend' as swooning over me, and thusly denote that none of them are after you, making any man with a woman in his life fall into your category of 'having more women after him than you'..."

"The condensed version of that tirade is that I have a romantic inferiority complex?"

"I suppose you could call it that." Roy turned a corner, heading for the main doors. "I was thinking of stopping by that little streetcorner coffee shop, they've got nice sandwiches, sound good?"

"Sure. Just spare whatever feeling I have by not flirting with every female in sight, will you?"

"I can't help it if they think I'm flirting, Lieutenant." The Colonel gave a nod and a smile to the giddy new receptionist, who liked to have fainted on the spot.

Havoc snorted. "Yeesh. She wasn't like that this morning..."

"I can't imagine what could have come over her." Roy lifted a hand to the guard at the gate, passing through to the outside without another word.

Havoc squinted up at the sky. "Damn, aren't we ever going to get any rain? The family back home's swimming in it, and we're baking!"

Roy shrugged, shaking his head. "It's a blessing to me, but I'm sure the ground is more than loathesome of that." He glanced over at the papers stapled to Havoc's envelope. "Nn? Isn't that the Fuhrer's seal?"

"Huh?" Havoc looked down. "By God, it is. 'Time Sensitive'. I guess it's too much to hope that it's a promotion."

Roy squinted. "I wouldn't think it would be if I weren't informed..."

"That's a disappointment. I'll open it at home. It can wait that long."

"Well it's obviously not a newsletter or anything of the sort, or I would have gotten one too... Damn, now I'm curious!" Roy chuckled lightly, turning another corner and pulling out a chair at the corner cafe, waving over the lovely waitress that seemed to have taken quite a liking for her job since the Colonel had started dropping by for breakfast.

Havoc shook his head, grinning. "I'll let you know on Monday, how's that?"

Roy nodded after ordering, giving a noncommittal reply as he turned the sealed letter over in his hands. It turned out he'd snatched it while Havoc was taking a quick glance at the waitress.

"Give that back, Roy," he said cheerfully, filtching it back. "You're not going to find out until Monday, got that?"

The smaller man plucked it from Jean's hands again, turning in his chair to hold it out as he broke the seal and flicked the paper open with a few deft movements. "Of course I'm not."

Havoc grabbed it back and sat on it. "Yes you are. I want to tell my new girlfriend about it before I tell my upstart commanding officer about it," he said cheekily.

"Ah, another new one, hm? What's her name this time? Patches?" Roy nudged Havoc's groin lightly with the toe of his boot. "Come on already...just a peek?"

Havoc snorted, twisting out of the way. "What part of 'no' don't you understand? And, no she's not a cat. Her name's Laura."

"Oh really? News to me...sister? Cousin? Toddler you're babysitting?" Roy wriggled one hand up under Havoc's ass, anything but subtly.

Havoc grabbed Roy's hand, totally unfazed. "Watch it, you're getting a few weird looks from the waitress," he said placidly. "And NO, Laura is a smashing girl that I'm going to fall hopelessly in love with to make the wrench of you whisking her away to a dream-filled whatever completely unbearable."

"She should know better, they all should really..." Roy shrugged, scratching an array on the bottom of Havoc's chair and transmuting a hole in it to catch the paper, at the same time succeeding in getting Havoc rather stuck in said hole.

"Fuck you," Havoc grumbled, extricating himself from the hole. "You're paying for that, NOT me." He sat in another chair, this time farther away. He made a grab for the paper.

Roy held him back with a foot on his stomach, skimming the page. Slowly the amused grin on his face faded to be replaced with a frown, brows furrowing slightly as the entire atmosphere surrounding his person grew unbearably dark.

Havoc could feel his own brows snap together. "What's up?" he asked warily.

"See for yourself..." Roy dropped his foot, handing the paper over.

Havoc took it, scanning it quickly. His frown deepened, then turned to panic, then to fear as he reread it. "Shit!" He got up abruptly, paper clenched in his hand. "Roy, please tell me you knew absolutely nothing about this," he growled.

"Why would I bother with a farce if I had known about it, Jean?" Roy was currently rubbing his temples, well this had turned out to be a hell of a day hadn't it...

"A transfer to Ishbar, leaving tomorrow afternoon? Dammit, what are they thinking?" He spun on his heel, entire body shaking with rage.

"You saw the signature, did you not? I can't just drop a direct order from the Fuhrer himself... I'll phone Hughes when I get home, have him look into it, there's nothing more I can do..."

"No, I have to go. They're pulling my entire company and I'm platoon leader. I can't worm out of this one."

"I know... The least I can do is give you a heads up as to what you're going into and keep an eye on you while you're out there, Jean."

"It's obvious. Negotiations? More like terrorist suppressions." He grimaced at the surprised look on Roy's face. "Yes, I know what's going on to an extent."

Roy looked down, fists clenched so tight so quickly that sparks crackled threateningly. "I think I'll take you up on that offer for tonight..."

"God knows you're welcome to it..."

"I'm still going to be watching your back..." Roy stood, waving off the waitress who'd brought his food and leaving a hefty tip along with the fee for the meal uneaten. "Let's go..."

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 

This section exists solely to point out the transfer order for Havoc.


	14. Intentions in Murky Water

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Intentions in Murky Water

* * *

** **Rating: **PG-13  
**Pairings: **Implied EnvyxWrath, LustxSloth, over the board affections between chimeras.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **Sin identities, Lust's birth.  
**Setting: **Irrtum, a city in Ishbar.**  
Timeline: **After the confrontation between the Abominations and the Devil's Nest.

* * *

_Nothing is as it seems in this city of the dead, where ghostly curtains of worn thin fabric hang eerily in empty windows. Windows that at one time, were filled with light, filtered laughter, and framed families. All of that was lost with the Ishbar war, however, and the city was left as naught but a ghost town. But nothing is as it seems here, and perhaps a stray glance would tell you that a bustling crowd filled the streets, your ears catching the sounds of traffic and gossip. And just as suddenly it would be gone, as though it were never there at all._

_Nothing but shadows of a life once prosperous, but a death too horrid to send the life away completely, its secrets to be buried forever with the bodies that had long since decomposed and rejoined the soil to become a constant reminder..._

_Or perhaps, it was just the delusional figment of imagination that came from the long, empty travel to this desolate place, so far away from anything that could be called civilization. _

--

Lazy, bored, violet eyes stared out of one of the few paned glass windows that remained in the city, as the Homunculus huffed a sigh irritatedly. "Hmph...why do we have to stay _here_ of all places! It's not even _remotely_ pleasant..."

Atop a dusty pile of rubble along the wall was where the other Homunculus in the room sat quietly, her legs crossed and chin in hand.

"Mm... what's wrong, Envy? Bored?"

Kohl-dark lashes lift to reveal her own violet-hued orbs, a hint of boredom in their depths, though the faint smirk on her lips indicated that she was otherwise amused by Envy's restlessness. She tucked a wisp of ebony behind her ear before standing, brushing herself off and resting a hand on one cocked hip as she turned to peer out of the window as well. This place brought its own brand of unpleasantness to the one called Lust, for reasons she was loathe to even attempt to comprehend...

She was not, however, as eager as Envy to voice her complaints.

"Feh...why _here_..." Envy mumbled again, poking at a rock with his toes rather idly. "And where'd Gluttony get off to anyway..."

The green haired Homunculus cocked his head at Lust, a wicked smirk on his face. "Hey...I followed Wrath after you told him Sloth was dead, and it turns out the kid actually found Sloth for us! It's a grubby little town in the south, I asked Him about it but He didn't answer, figures..." Violet eyes turned back to the window again, as though something might actually happen outside of it.

"Is that so?" Lust's pale expression betrayed nothing, her vacant-yet-piercing gaze continuing to watch the scenery through the window, a window that might have shown her much happier sights in a former lifetime, when there was a village here in destruction's stead. But there was only the same _nothing_ out there as the _nothing_ in her heart, and it made her feel uneasy.

Her brow furrowed and a frown tugged at her lips. "If there's someplace you'd rather be right now, I'm open to suggestions."

Envy hopped down from the windowsill, stretching a bit. "But would leaving be that good of an idea right now? After all, we hardly even know this new guy...there's no telling what He could do...but I hate it here...che..."

He shrugged a bit, his usual expression slipping on. "Hmmm...but He said we were supposed to wait for a signal from those Abominations, so really we can't do much but wait, can we?"

Lust took Envy's place at the windowsill, leaning back against the pane of glass, her hair spilling over her shoulders as they hunched slightly. The frown was quickly replaced by another ghost of a smirk, her legs crossing with a whispering swish of her dress.

"I wonder..." Lust tilted her head slightly. "But we really have no choice but to wait, you're right. You're just going to have to find some way to amuse yourself in the meantime."

Envy shrugged again. "If you hadn't run off little Wrath I could have plenty of fun right here..."

Slightly sharp teeth gleamed in the shadows, a wickedly perverse grin upon the Homunculus's face.

The corner of Lust's mouth quirked, pulling her smirk tighter. "Oh? And you would do such a thing right here, in front of a lady? Really, Envy, you should show more self-control."

There was a crackling sound, and it was the form of Sloth that stepped out of the shadows and up to Lust, half-lidded amethyst eyes gazing into hers as lithe fingertips brushed against her cheek lightly. "And if you hadn't run _me_ off..."

Envy let the words linger, leaning so close that his current form was just centimeters away from Lust's face, and then he smirked and spun around, crackling from head to toe and he was himself again. At least, as much himself as he wanted to be.

"You know it's true..." Envy snickered.

Lust simply stared back at the crackling form that was Envy, all amusement drained from her face. That wasn't really what she meant when she told Envy he should find some way to entertain himself. Her arms folded across her chest, a defiant gesture.

"I'm glad you're so amused." She droned, turning her face away from him and giving a sidelong look out the window.

"Awwww...did I touch a sore spot?" Envy teased at her, grinning amusedly.

"Really, though, you're more sour than usual!"

"I don't like it here," Lust finally conceded her feelings, acknowledging them grudgingly. She started liking it even less after Envy started pushing her buttons for amusement.

"Oh that's _riiiiiight!_" Envy's grin broadened as he acted thoughtful. "You were created near here _weren't_ you!"

Clapping his hands together suddenly, Envy spun on his heels to face the younger Homunculus. "I know! We could go on a _field trip!_"

Lust's unamused frown gave way to a full-on glare, her long, talon-like fingers extending and raking down the glass of the window with a resentful screech. She remained calm despite Envy's goading, allowing her murderous stare and the window shrieking in protest to speak for themselves. "Now, now -- let's not stray from the task at hand. We have a job to do right now, don't we?"

A vile grin accompanied her cold stare as her fingers continued to scar the window.

"You wouldn't want to have to be the one to tell Him we got distracted, ne?"

Envy didn't let the obviously aggressive behavior irk him at all, as it seemed only to further amuse him, grin turning into a full-on smirk.

"It's only a few hours away, though...right? We could go and be back before sunset! Or are you _scared_ to go back to your birthplace, _hmmm_, Lust?"

There was a wicked gleam in his eyes, one hand on his hip. There wasn't one of them that could beat him, so it had quickly become one of Envy's favorite pastimes to find and push the other Homunculus' buttons.

Lust's fingers ceased their assault on the window, that hand dropping to her side as she regained some semblance of composure -- she knew better than to let Envy get to her. She might just start to regret having run Wrath off if this was the best form of entertainment for himself that Envy could come up with.

Scared to be debilitated by remnants of a former life whose fractured memories are scary enough in their own right? Perhaps. But she felt no particular inclination to share this with Envy.

"I wonder..." She mused with that honey-dipped voice of hers, that vile smile never leaving her pale face. "Is this all that it takes to get you off?

"Would it excite you to hurt me, Envy?"

The older Homunculus' grin was now lacking the gleaming teeth, but it was still there, amethyst eyes slitted at Lust.

"Heh...maybe..."

Envy's look became a bit more laid back, lazily predatory, as he leaned back against a few dusty crates, arms draped casually out to the sides. "What would you do if I said it would?"

The bait was set. However, it didn't really matter if it was taken or not, the outcome would be the same.

Which Lust knew. She was not a stupid woman.

"Mmm... I'm not sure there would _be_ much I could do against you, now would there?" Lust leaned forward in her seat, resting her chin in her hand and matching Envy's narrowed gaze with a hooded stare of her own.

"But I do have to ask, regardless... do you like it when your prey fights back?" Because if those claws were indicative of anything, it was that Lust would not go down without a fight, if not for as much her own enjoyment as Envy's.

Envy cocked his head back to the side slightly, teeth once more in that jagged, perverse grin.

"If they don't struggle, fight, or run, what's the fun in it?"

That voice was still as sly as ever as the Homunculus slumped forward slightly, supported by his arms hooked around the corners of the crates, though it took on a wicked, sadistic undertone then. Envy licked his lips. "It's the most exhilarating thing...the look of knowing that there's nothing they can do to save themselves...the fear that's so thick in the air you can _taste_ it!"

"Well... that's where I'm afraid I'm lacking," Lust veritably purred as she stood, the clacking of her heels echoing as she took a few steps closer.

In one fluid motion, her fingers shoot across the room, two on either side of Envy's head and two on either side of his torso, barely missing and piercing the wall behind him.

"You see... I'm not afraid of you."

"Defiance rather than fear only makes it all the more fun to break them..." Envy smirked, not even blinking an eye as Lust's claws pierced the wall to either side of him.

Advancing on Envy, she retracted her claws little by little with each step, effectively keeping him trapped in her grasp until she was close enough to press her palm against his chest. Lust didn't doubt that Envy wouldn't attempt to break her. There was only one small little detail...

"I'm not made of glass."

"Do you think it matters to me?" Envy was relaxed. Maybe too relaxed it would seem. "Glass is too easy to break, so it's not even that fun anymore...why break glass when you can break even the toughest steel?"

There was that smirk, still quirking the corners of his lips.

Sadistic. Cruel. Envy himself would say it was sexy.

Lust smiled darkly as she ran one sharp forefinger down Envy's cheek, ever-so-careful as not to give him the same treatment that she gave the window, stopping when she reached his chin.

"Mmm... but I'm not even made of _steel_... perhaps I won't be any fun for you, after all."

With a shrug, Envy closed his eyes. "Glass breaks too easily, steel poses a fun challenge, gives such a satisfaction when it finally snaps under pressure...but it's always fun to be able to bend and twist, shaping clay to my desire..."

In the same breath Lust has promised men power and then crushed their spirits without even so much as a forethought. Men -- especially those with the gift of alchemy -- craved power and she would give it to them, hoping that in doing so she would be one step closer to her own goal. If they wavered or failed, one swift blow would end it and that, as they say, would be that.

Envy, however, could neither be classified as Man, nor could he use alchemy. She had nothing to gain from him.

"That doesn't sound nearly as much fun for me as it would be for you."

"Of course not!" Envy grinned again, violet eyes flickering open. "It's not supposed to be fun for the prey..."

There was a jingling of chains down the barren streets, as several figures approached the only house in the entire city that was occupied.

Seven, it seemed, as they grew closer, led by a young man with shaggy blood colored hair in a black coat.

The door was opened and Deceit stepped inside, making room for the other six, as one emerald eye focused on Lust and Envy.

One shadowy figure stepped inside, claws clicking softly on the floor of the entryway. Her features became clear in the light... She was slender and lithe, with an oddly pointed face and sharp dark eyes. A cascade of cream-colored hair tumbled down her shoulders, blending in with the downy fur that fringed her forearms before tapering off to skin. Her fine-boned hands, each tipped with a translucent claw, absently scratched at her pelt. A long tail trailed unobtrusively behind her.

Cruelty smoothed her simple crimson garments, a smile gracing her lips. The teeth that smile revealed were sharp and somehow threatening despite her demure expression. A tiny, malicious twinkle brightened her dark eyes.

_Wow... Her hands looked so worn in the lighting..._

Mischief stared at her palms in wonderment, questioning how she had never realized the ruggedness that took over what used to be soft and warm.

"Heh..."

The girl looked around this place labeled 'Irrtum,' her lips slightly parted to feel a faint breeze on her tongue.

Amethyst eyes followed the figures, from the time they were visible through the window to the time they entered the door, and Envy casually brushed Lust's hand away, stepping forward to greet them.

"Deceit... Mischief... Cruelty... Falsehood... Slaughter... Sabotage... Discrimination..." The Homunculus looked them over, nodding to each in turn, though several of them shied away as his eyes fell upon them.

Envy's eyes narrowed slightly, returning to Deceit. "Where's the Alchemist..." he hissed, stepping towards the red-haired chimera angrily, a sneer on his face.

One of mischief's kohl-covered eyes slightly closed in disgust, as she lifted her hand straight up, pointing to envy.

"That's not very niiicce..."

She took a few swift and long strides, making a barrier between him and her leader, hand closer to her body now, but still pointed at Envy. Her ears flattened to the back of her head, but she winked at him all at the same time.

"He's escaped...the new chimera I picked up along the way got careless..." Deceit kept a cool exterior, stepping up behind Mischief and curling a few locks of her hair around on clawed finger idly.

"We can take him again, it's likely if he returns to his 'friends' they will reject him..."

"Envy." There was a warning note in Lust's voice, and she stepped forward, placing a hand on her hip as she regarded the Abominations with mock-warmth.

"What do you mean?" She drawled sweetly, cocking her head to one side -- said sweetness didn't reach her eyes.

Envy glared, backhanding Mischief across the face and passing her to knee Deceit in the gut followed by a punch to his face. "Incompetent little..." He hissed, showing a bit of self-restraint after sneering at Mischief as he turned to walk back to Lust's side. "I still don't trust them..."

The Homunculus hadn't even bothered to lower his voice, they would hear him either way.

Taking the blows in stride, the feline chimera picked himself up off of the ground, dusting off his clothes and rubbing his jaw slightly. "Perhaps you are correct...but we've lost one of our own in this little skirmish you know...be a bit more respectful if only for that reason..."

Deciding to ignore Envy's comment, Deceit helped up Mischief, nuzzling her cheek slightly and giving it an affectionate lick. "Why don't you get the Alchemist yourself next time then?"

Mischief's eyes narrowed, not quite so used to being harmed. The expression she had after that looked something like a pout, but it didn't last long, for Deceit had comforted her almost immensely. She was a slightly immature chimera, and always seemed to act younger then her true age, showing quite a bit at the time. Still though, she kept her lips tightly pursed together, her tail bristling and stiff.

Lust stepped in front of Envy, feigning a look of apology for her short-tempered comrade and asking once more -- a bit more forcefully this time -- "_What do you mean?_ What happened?"

'Respectful' Lust can give them. She, however, does not have an endless supply of patience in which she can tap into, either.

Deceit purred slightly, nipping Mischief's ear before returning to the task at hand and stepping up to Lust. "It was the failed experiment I picked up in Dublith...Decay, she called herself...got a little too curious for her own good and ended up being the bomb that let the Crimson Alchemist escape our clutches..."

One green eye matched the gaze of violet, left eye hidden under several messy swatches of blood red hair. "He's either dead in the North now or his canine comrade has picked up his trail. If the latter, we need to cover our tracks, lest we be caught..."

Cruelty yawned, exposing sharp canines. "We need to cover our tracks no matter what the conditions, Deceit. Or is that little brain of yours smaller than I thought?"

Envy snickered at the ferret's remark, flipping back on top of a few crates and getting comfortable. "That's what we get for trusting a _chimera_ then isn't it?"

She snarled at Envy incoherently, claws flexing, her hard little eyes glittering like chips of obsidian. "Don't tempt me to rip out your throat, pretty boy!"

There was a slight hiss and the rustling of fabric, as soon the red-haired chimera was at Cruelty's back, purring in her ear whilst a set of claws raked down her arm. "Silence that tongue of yours, lest you forget who your master is..." Deceit hissed coyly, before returning to his previous place.

She arched her back to get away from his touch, but fell silent.

The green haired Homunculus yawned boredly, seemingly indifferent to Cruelty's threats. "Why are you here then anyway, if you don't have the Alchemist?" Envy leaned forward, grinning coldly.

"Because it's time to move..." One emerald eye focused on Envy.

"The time has come now for the second phase to go down...the military will be sending a diplomat to make negotiations...I will be our representative..." Deceit traced the array on the palm of his hand, his animalistic features fading away slowly to make him seem just a normal human. "But of course...they will only be lead to believe that we will negotiate..."

He held out one hand, signaling to the dark-skinned female in the group. "Falsehood...you know your orders...now go..."

The serpentine woman nodded curtly, exiting the building and disappearing into the desert.

"Che..." Envy rolled over on the crates, getting comfortable and curling up to sleep. Not like he needed it or anything, he was just bored.

Deceit noted the raised hackles, mostly Mischief and Sabotage, silently glanced to each in turn to make sure they didn't do anything stupid. "The military is moving in their little flock of sitting ducks in less than a week's time..." the cat drawled lazily, really, dealing with these people was less than enjoyable.

"Anything we _don't_ know, fuzzy?" Violet eyes dared the cat to retort through a fall of emerald bangs.

Discrimination yawned, peering down from his perch on Slaughter's shoulder. "How many ducks, and is there goin' to be anyone fun to hunt in there? We're gettin' pretty bored, Boss..."

"If Pride did his job right we might have some fun, but I doubt any of them will be much of a challenge, it's not like they're bringing in alchemists..." The feline shrugged, glancing at the two homunculi. "Wasn't there supposed to be another at this post? And what's the status on Sloth and Wrath, we'll need them too..."

Lust closed her eyes, leaning against a crate. "More importantly, will our escapee be with them, and can you get him back? Can you redeem your mistake?"

"That was reckless to let them get away like that, kitty cat... I thought you had it settled once Greed was down, and you went and let two get away with the splodey alchemist, tch!" Envy chided from atop his crate, grinning like a fool.

"Once he's alone without a leader, he'll realize where his place lies...if you're that worried about him why don't you have Pride do some bribing?" Deceit leaned back against Slaughter's sturdy form, one green eye idly surveying his nails.

"It's not really important that a snake and a dog got away with a crazy alchemist," Slaughter pointed out. "Revenge will be the last thing on their mind. And anyway, we have more than enough firepower to knock them out no matter what."

"Yeah, just look how easy it was last time!" Sabotage yawned and sat at Deceit's feet, sighing boredly.

Lust opened her eyes slightly, amethyst glittering as she considered Deceit. "Take responsibility for your mistakes. He could still be useful to us. As for Sloth and Wrath, don't worry about it. We have that under control."

Envy smirked and idly toyed with a lock of Lust's hair just to be annoying. "You ran them off in the first place..."

A crackle of light and Sloth's form was flush against Lust's back, head nuzzled in long, dark hair. "Why did you have to...there could have been so much more..." It was her voice, but it was still Envy, just a taunt again to rile the younger homunculus.

Lust lifted her hand, razor-sharp claws tangling themselves in the doppelganger's hair. The Abominations certainly didn't need to play audience to this. "Not now, Envy.." she muttered, keeping the rest of her attention on the chimeras before her.

The smirk on Deceit's lips echoed itself in his one good eye. "We'll be across the way if you need anything, loves..." Not even the gayest of men could deny that Lust is as lust does and two nicely formed females tangled in a heap was still quite a pretty picture, or maybe that was just him. Well...and Sabotage...

Deceit chuckled lightly and nudged the wolfboy's haunches. "I think we're pretty much done here for now anyway..." he purred, leading the others out with an arm around the waists of both Mischief and Sabotage, tail tugging at Cruelty's leg to hurry up out the door.

Envy waved with Sloth's hand, tracing the tip of Sloth's tongue along the shell of Lust's ear. "Come on...it's only fair...you ran away him too..." the homunculus purred.

Lust watched as they left, waiting until the door was closed, then moved her hand away. At least the annoying ones were gone, but now she had an even bigger annoyance.. "did you HAVE to do that?" she asked, stepping away and refusing to look at the older Homunculus.

"Of course not!" Envy shifted back to his cute form, grinning from ear to ear. "I just felt like it!"

Walking back to the window, Lust seated herself on top of a crate, choosing for now to ignore Envy and stare out the window. Finally, after a few minutes, she muttered, "can we go now?"

"Gluttony still hasn't shown up, and where else do you have to go with him while I'm playing escort to that cat?" Envy perched himself back on the crate he'd been on before, shrugging. "Did you lose him or something?"

Lust frowned. "He'll turn up, he said he was hungry and wandered off somewhere. Probably chewing on a-" her words were cut off by the sound of a building collapsing, and she sighed. "Never mind, I know where he is now."

"Luuuust..." Gluttony wandered in, his little white button eyes bewildered. "Lust, I'm hungry..." He plopped down at his favorite Homunculus' feet, tugging on her black skirts. "Those chimeras were mean, may I eat them?"

Envy blinked, sighed, and generally acted bored. "Aren't there some smelly Ishbarites still hanging around we can mess with?"

Lust reached down and patted his bald head, brushing brick dust off. "Not yet, Gluttony, we still need them unfortunately.." she said, looking up at Envy. "No, I haven't seen any around here. Now can we go?"

"I already told you, I've got to stick around for a while, _you_ can go if you want, but it's not like you've got anywhere _to_ go..." Envy waved a hand nonchalantly.

Gluttony perked up as he realized the flow of the conversation, then drooped. Ishbarites were his favorite snack, and now there weren't any! ... stupid chimeras.

Lust felt her mood go steadily worse as she realized he was right. There wasn't really anywhere to go now, nothing much to do but wait. She eased off her crate and wandered across the room, Gluttony following close behind. "Then wake me up when you're done, so we can leave."

"Sure you don't want to go sightseeing?" Envy chided, knowing that she would know exactly what he meant by 'sightseeing' and where that might be.

"Go to Hell", Lust muttered, a headache rapidly coming on. She found an empty office with a few tarps and refolded them into a makeshift bed, choosing to concentrate on this and ignore Envy.

Envy on the other hand had other plans, as he followed her into the room, sitting at the end of the little 'bed'. "Come on...my birthplace doesn't even exist anymore!"

"We're not going, give up, let me sleep." Lust said flatly, laying down and pulling one of the tarps over her. As an afterthought, she turned a bit. "Go help Gluttony find something to eat, that should occupy you for a while."

"He can find his own food perfectly fine." Envy didn't move from his seat on the makeshift bed.

Lust sighed, trying to ignore him and feign sleep. She was growing to outright hate this place, and wished she had an excuse to go elsewhere. She closed her eyes, pulling the tarp over her head.

"You're being a grouch..." Envy was starting to get bored, and annoyed, and it showed.

Lust glanced at him just over the tarp. "If you have any better ideas, besides your idea of sightseeing, then you're welcome to share them." she said finally. She was bored too, sleep never did come easily and she didn't need it anyway.

"Of _course_ I have better ideas, you just don't _like_ them!" The green-haired homunculus grinned maniacally.

"Do you have any ideas that don't involve taking me places I don't like?" Lust said, her voice dripping in false sweetness.

"Oh of _course_ I do.." That leering grin still didn't leave Envy's face.

The grin disturbed Lust, she knew it meant nothing but trouble, but as they say, curiosity killed the cat... "what is it?"

At that, the slender-bodied homunculus rocked back on his heels, looking at the ceiling in mock-consideration. "Weeeell...if I told you that...you'd want to kill me."

Lust decided to neglect telling him she felt like it anyway sometimes, and sat up, pushing herself back against some boxes. "Come on.."

"Oh, I have _ideas_...I have _plenty_ of them..." Envy crawled forward, shifting his form to mimic Sloth's again as he went, seductive look in his eyes.

Lust simply eyed Envy, wondering what his motives could be. Finally she reached her hand out, brushing her fingers against Sloth's face, smirking a bit. "Well, Envy, I didn't know you were into that.." she purred, brushing a loose tendril of hair aside.

Crawling forward a bit more, Envy had Lust pinned, albeit carelessly. "Or maybe you'd like one of these better..." The form of Sloth rippled and was replaced by that of that Ishbarite, pre-transmutation. "Remember him?"

Rippled again, post-transmutation, naked and tattooed with the array of the Philosopher's Stone. "Or maybe you hate it because he reminds you of what you are..."

Again, the man called Scar who was that Ishbarite's younger brother. "Or was he too dead for your tastes?"

Still again, the man from the petrified village. "Oh, that's right..."

Again, the still-forming body of Sloth, revoltingly maimed looking with one eye dangling from the socket and a voice that gurgled with unplaced fluids, "You _like_ them dead, don't you?"

Lust watched, each form Envy took filling her more with horror and a sense of rising panic. The final one did it; no Homunculus looked very good immediately post-transmutation, but that was one of the more frightening ones in her opinion. She finally raised her hand, stabbing her claws through the doppelganger's head, shoving the body off and quickly standing and backing out of the room. "You bastard.." she whispered, keeping his (?!) head speared on her long nails.

The disfigured form rippled and crackled with light once more, taking Envy's cute form with Lust's nails still through his head, blood trickling down from the punctures. He licked a bit of it that had dripped down to his mouth and grinned. "I _know_ I don't have to tell you how much that stings..."

Leaving the warehouse was suddenly a very good idea. Lust needed to go somewhere to regain her composure, to calm down and erase the images and memories from her head once again. Retracting her claws, she left the office and quickly walked through the messy warehouse, glancing around for Gluttony, unsure if she wanted him to join her just for the company, or to stay here so she could have time to herself.

Envy stood, form shifting once again. _Now you've lost sight of me...the ball's in my court now, you won't even be able to tell unless my acting is wrong... _

Pushing open the broken door, Lust stepped outside, the bright sunlight making her squint. She wandered down one of many barren streets, once probably filled with vendors and people, but now filled with nothing but litter and sand, as the desert attempted to reclaim it. Realizing the direction she was going, she made a deliberate turn and went the other way, loathe to stir more memories.

A boy with sandy-blond hair and gray-brown eyes dressed in Ishbarite robes focused his dull grayish-brown eyes on Lust's retreating form, letting the smirk on his lips settle before stepping into the street after her. _Now, little girl, let's play a little game called trust, shall we?_

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	15. Trivialities

_Review replies:_

_Omakase Shimasu - Hope you're still reading after all this time, don't worry, Ed comes back! There will be much more angst though ahead for many, I'll try and keep a few humor chapters up in there somewhere, not even I can do all angst all the time! n.n;_

_Guu-sama - ...You reviewed my story...four times...in a row..with the same review...uh...window not working for you? Click too many times? It's okay, I forgive you, hope you're still reading, it only gets better from here!_

_------------------_

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Trivialities

* * *

** **Rating: **PG-13  
**Pairings: **None.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **None really.  
**Setting: **Unsanctioned land between Central and Ishbar.**  
Timeline: **The first negotiation session, approximately two weeks after Havoc is transferred to Ishbar, a week and a half since Ed's death.

* * *

Jonathan Scher leaned back in his uncomfortable chair, arms crossed, black brows beetled over bright blue eyes. "I thought they were supposed to be here by now," he snapped irately. "Second Lieutenant Havoc, go check to see if the other party is coming." 

Havoc huffed a sigh. _I'm a guard, not an errand boy,_ he thought grouchily. He was missing out on a craps game that he had sort-of wanted to join.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen..." came the silky voice from the tent-flap, which now was held open by some guard or other that had been outside, as a flash of blood red and emerald showed itself from behind Ishbarite drapings. The man swiftly moved forward to take a seat opposite Scher, handing the sand-laden garments to a young officer who had followed him in.

"Shall we get down to business, Sirs?"

Scher nodded. "Yes. My name is Jonathan Scher. And you are...?" An attendant set down a water service and a pad of paper in front of both men. Inkwells and pens were made available.

"Fawkes," the man replied without hesitation, nodding to his escort, who stepped back to the side and out of the way. "Ashton Fawkes."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. You do not mind that I have soldiers in the tent with us? I assure you, they will keep silent on every aspect of this meeting." Scher folded his hands neatly, resting them on the table.

"That is the way of the military, a precaution that I would similarly take, there is no need to question it." The one who addressed himself as Fawkes did however take the opportunity to observe each and every soldier for a brief moment, his one visible eye darting across the tent and finally settling back on Scher. "It is acceptable."

Havoc's eyes narrowed as more meaningless trivialities were exchanged. Something stank about the whole setup. The easy, demeaning arrogance that Fawkes had made his skin crawl. _How now, a rat..._ His hands clenched behind his back.

"Now," Scher said pleasantly. "For the record, would you mind stating your demands clearly?"

"Hn..." Fawkes reclined somewhat casually in the chair, despite the unwillingness of said chair to allow such comfort. "First of all, we require military funding for our research department, as well as access to your Central's libraries and archives. All of them..." He made sure to accent the world 'all' in order to be perfectly understood. "We're also entitled to the aid of several alchemists in reconstruction of our homeland which you destroyed..." He paused briefly.

"I'm sorry," Scher said smoothly, warming to his task. "But for us to fund this 'research', we must first know what you are looking into. And as for the library and archives... they still have yet to be restored. We are making progress, but it is very slow."

"I see... I'll have to speak with my superiors about disclosing such information regarding our research..." Fawkes remained collected and relaxed, shifting his position slightly. "We also request to be given full authority over Central's research laboratories and all information that lies within...as well as the unsanctioned badlands between North and Drachma..."

"Several of our research facilities are in use by our State Alchemists," Scher pointed out gently. "We cannot afford to have these men interrupted in their work. The facilities not in use have been... neglected beyond repair, in some instances. As for the badlands..." he shrugged elegantly. "I will have to speak to the Fuhrer. As far as I know, I do not have the authority to negotiate about such a contested piece of land.

"However, we may be able to allow a select few of your alchemists to view what we have reconstructed of the Central Library."

"I wouldn't expect you to have that authority...it is why the terms are simply being laid out here..." Fawkes practically purred, lazy grin on his face. "Do speak with your Fuhrer, I'm sure that negotiations will be made rather agreeable, as I've dealt with the man on personal business before..."

He leaned forward slightly. "I also must ask if you would so kindly halt any further investigation against my men and I...I'm no fool you know..." There was a hint of a feral gleam in Fawkes' eye that one wouldn't necessarily have to look very closely to see.

"I was unaware of an investigation of you and your people," Scher said calmly, unperturbed. "If any such action was taken, it is most probably out of my jurisdiction to repeal. I am a private citizen, employed as an Ambassador, not a member of the military. I doubt they'd heed any words of mine." He waved a hand back over his shoulder. "Take it up with one of my guards afterwards."

"I'll be certain to..." Fawkes eyed the smoking blond in the corner with an amused grin. "As for the more trivial aspects of the bargaining...my men require two hundred thousand up front before any further negotiations are made...you may state your end now if you will..." He waved a hand nonchalantly, eyes settling back on Scher.

Scher smiled kindly. He produced a receipt. "The Fuhrer anticipated such demands. Here is a receipt for two hundred fifty thousand. Due to such a large sum, we were unable to bring it with us. If you could send an emissary to any regional bank, they will have the cash for you. Guarding it is your own problem." He smiled again, to take the sting out of his words.

"But of course..." Fawkes grinned himself and took the receipt, nodding politely in return.

"May I safely assume that this meeting is over, or do you have further desires you wish to express?"

"I have nothing more to ask, so I suppose it would be assumed over, unless you have issues to set?"

"None until I get word back from the Fuhrer. We will send a messenger to your camp when another meeting requires arrangement." Scher stood up and held out his right hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ashton Fawkes."

The red-haired man stood as well, taking Scher's hand. _You're lucky he's not left-handed, Deceit old boy, you would've had to show your trump card a little too early..._ "I'll expect a response then, the pleasure is mine, sir. Shall I be granted permission to speak with that guard there?" Fawkes tilted his head in the direction of the soldier marked Second Lieutenant with the tawny hair and the cigarette seeming to become more and more tightly clenched between his teeth. "He looks like a nice fellow..." The grin was evident.

_You know what, you redheaded, bastard, screw you!_ Havoc thought furiously.

Scher lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Second Lieutenant Havoc? He's a little beneath you, are you sure? By all means, you have my permission, but wouldn't you require the Major?"

_Screw you too, old man._ Havoc's teeth ground together.

"I think I can trust the boy to be good and relay whatever messages I might have for the good Major..." Fawkes smiled coyly. "Besides...I like this one..."

Scher shrugged, a little bewildered by it all. "Well, then I will leave you alone with the Second Lieutenant." He motioned all of the guards out along with his attendants. He was the last one out, an antiquated way of showing faith in one's opponent.

Havoc repeated the ten most obscene curses he knew silently to himself.

With another coy smile, Fawkes both waved out his escort and offered the Lieutenant the chair across from him. "Do have a seat, Lieutenant...far be it for me to deny you that small luxury in speaking with me..."

Havoc pinched out his cigarette, slipping it away. "I'll stand, thank you, sir." He took up the at-ease position, legs slightly apart, back straight, hands behind his back. "It would be rude to sit in front of a dignitary, sir."

"I'd hardly call myself that, but if you insist..." Fawkes pulled out a cigarette himself, itching for the nicotine, and placing it between his lips. "Happen to have a light on you, good sir?" He grinned awkwardly around the stick.

"Yes, sir." Havoc pulled out his lighter, placing it on the table.

"Thanks much..." Fawkes lit the cigarette and took a long drag, tossing the lighter back to Havoc. "Your investigation department lacks a certain amount of appeal if I may be so bold..."

He caught it, stone faced. "I wouldn't know, sir. I'm not in Intelligence. Though, I must admit that I was startled to hear of the tactlessness of Intelligence when you said that they were investigating you."

_That's not to say I think you don't deserve it, you greasy little smear._

_Thick and stubborn, aren't you, boy...you're quick to catch on...have to deal with that before you can leave... _

"You have some friends in Intelligence, though, I'm sure...but honestly, there isn't an outfit out there that can slip past my guards unnoticed...not even the best...we do call ourselves Predator for a reason..." Fawkes folded his hands in his lap, idly blowing smoke from his nostrils. "Best inform your friends back in Central not to stick their noses where they don't belong...especially that Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, he's going to get himself killed one of these days you know..." A tap of the cigarette and a knowing smirk.

Several things inside twisted violently, but Havoc's training held firm -- no emotion passed over his face. But his hands clenched so hard behind his back that blood rose to form little crescent marks. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes and I work in different sections of the military, sir, even though we're technically in the same battalion. We very rarely see each other, and only then when I'm being briefed or debriefed.

"I hope none of your men were injured in the supposed infiltrations?" he inquired, more to be polite than anything else.

_Maes, you stupid, STUPID man, can't you just leave well enough alone?! This guy would kill you in a heartbeat!_

The tension in the air did not go unnoticed to catlike instincts, and Fawkes didn't bother to hide his grin. "Of course not, Lieutenant...my men are still beyond the reach of any of your intelligence officers..." He shifted the cigarette to the other side of his mouth and stood. "Do give the good Colonel Mustang my regards should you write him, and if you would, remind him that his priorities lie in Central, not the Ishbar border...and that he wouldn't want to repeat any past mistakes by poking around in foreign affairs...I trust the investigation will be called off..."

Retrieving his cloak from the hook near the 'door', Fawkes bowed his head slightly to Havoc and donned the robe. "And you should be careful too...I've caught wind that there's some pretty nasty rebels in the area...nice meeting you, Lieutenant, and thank you for your time..." With that, he stepped out of the tent and into the Ishbar sun, squinting lightly before returning to his escort's side to leave the encampment.

Havoc followed the man, watching him leave their camp. His eyes narrowed. "If we go to war, you're first on my list," he murmured.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	16. Cat in Dog's Clothing

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Cat in Dog's Clothing

* * *

** **Rating: **PG  
**Pairings: **None.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **None really.  
**Setting: **Park in Central City.**  
Timeline: **In between the second and third negotiation sessions.

* * *

The sun shone down warm over his head and shoulders. He stood on the pebbled walkway, staring off at the pond that sparkled in the middle of the park. 

Roy was tired. He was tired of working. He was tired of being strong.

He closed his eyes. Why was he here? He found that he couldn't remember.

The park bench was warm under his hands, the green paint soaking up the sunlight. He leaned his head back against the bench. Roy couldn't remember sitting down.

He watched the trees move with the wind and thought of nothing.

There was the _tap...tap..._ of boots, as a seemingly normal, teenage boy walked up beside the dog of the military.

One emerald eye peered up, following the Colonel's line of sight, the other hidden behind stray blood red bangs. Hands shoved casually in the pockets of blue military issue pants, a cigarette sticking out of the corner of his mouth, the boy inquired in a tone that plainly showed his lack of a care for respecting the ranks, perhaps a bit familiar of a certain, recently deceased, pipsqueak of an alchemist.

"Whatcha lookin' at?"

It seemed that the Colonel didn't hear him for one long second. Then Roy blinked, eyes refocusing on the slender form in front of him.

"Nothing," he said dully, not moving. He could see from his position, after all.

The boy took a seat next to the man on the bench, crossing his legs comfortably with utter disregard to the fact that he was in the presence of a 'higher ranking officer'. Perhaps it would've reminded the man of a red coat and long blonde hair, and a loud and destructively short fuse.

"Got a light?"

Perhaps the man would've been reminded of all the times he'd let his dignity slip and given a quick snap for a certain blonde addict.

He closed his eyes again. Nothing to see here. "No," Roy replied bluntly.

"Don't believe I've introduced myself, Colonel Mustang," the boy flashed a fanged grin for a split second while Roy's eyes were closed.

"Major Fawkes, sir. Ashton Fawkes. Better known as the Predator Alchemist." The boy didn't bother to stick out his hand, as he knew it wouldn't have been taken even if he had.

"Colonel Roy Mustang," Roy said, and fell silent again.

The birds were chirping. Pleasant. He idly clenched one hand into a fist.

"Oh, but I knew that already, _sir_...your reputation precedes you, Flame..."

Emerald eye noted satisfactorily the tightening of a hand into a fist, and the boy continued his game.

"So tell me, _Colonel_, what brings you here this sickeningly lovely afternoon?"

"What brings me is my business," Roy said, eyes still closed. His fist tightened. "Seeing as I outrank you, _Major_." That last mocking sentence was hardly within standard protocol, but Roy couldn't bring himself to care.

"I'm sure you're aware that you've many enemies in these parts, _Colonel_..."

The boy absently traced something on his left palm and touched his fingertips to the cigarette clenched between his teeth, a tiny spark lighting the end as he took in a deep breath, slowly blowing out the smoke.

"What you're not aware of, however, is the true state of negotiations across the Ishbar border..." He stretched a bit languidly, almost too graceful to be a human trait, really. "Sure, you get your letters from the Second Lieutenant every so often...but he is after all just there as a guard...Intelligence hasn't told you a thing, have they?"

"You are stunningly inaccurate," Roy murmured.

The sun was pleasant on his face. He wondered what he would do for dinner tonight. Perhaps go to that little hole-in-the-wall noodle shop... Chat with that happy blonde kid and his ponytailed teacher some more. Pretend like his life wasn't falling down around him.

"Or perhaps you're the one who's inaccurate...you just don't know it..."

The boy looked up at the sky, taking another drag off the cigarette.

"You should watch over those close to you better, Colonel...you're going to end up losing more than just Edward Elric."

Roy stilled. He said, carefully, "And what would you know about that?"

He watched the leaves fall.

"I know a lot more than your intelligence knows...are you even aware of the reason they sent a diplomat with an _entire platoon to guard him_ into _Ishbar_?"

The boy's voice didn't waver, his feint still flawless.

"Whether I am aware of certain operations or not is immaterial," Roy said, throat dry. He swallowed; there were no water fountains about. "If it is not my position to know, then I will not. Simple."

"Surprising...I would've thought you were smarter than that, Colonel..."

The mysterious boy grinned, not showing his teeth.

"I would've thought that you would already know about the successors of the Homunculus...about the high risk involved with negotiating terms with an Abomination created by humans...but then again..._they_ can't tell the difference anyway..."

He exhaled smoke, flicking the cigarette off to the side. "Negotiations will take far longer than expected...do you really think that they will give in to your demands? The Ishbarites are already poised negatively with you military dogs..."

Getting to his feet, the young boy shoved his hands in his pockets again, starting to walk off. "Let's just say that Scar is going to be the least of your problems, Colonel Mustang...soon...very..._very_ soon..." Without another word, before Roy could even look up, the boy had disappeared from sight.

Roy sat for a long time, watching the trees, the grass, people walking in the distance. He watched the spray of the fountain fall into the water, endlessly flinging itself up just to succumb to gravity again.

Roy Mustang was tired. So tired.

"Liar," he whispered to himself, hoping it was true.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	17. Munich, Mourning, and Delgardie's Miracl...

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Munich, Mourning, and Delgardie's Miracle

* * *

** **Rating: **PG  
**Pairings: **None.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **If you don't know about Munich, it's spoilerific! And Ed and Al's dad as well as their alchemy teacher.  
**Setting: **Munich, Germany/Central City/Ishbar.**  
Timeline: **About five months after negotiations started in Ishbar.

* * *

Ed awoke in an unfamiliar room, it looked rather washed out and gray despite the warm glow of the lamp in the corner. Sitting up, he was overwhelmed with dizziness as his vision blacked out for a moment and his hands flew to his head. "Nngh…" 

He looked around, confused, had he fallen asleep somewhere and some matronly innkeeper felt sorry for him and given him a room for the night? Edward tried to get his bearings straight again in the haze of sleep when a plump, rosy-cheeked woman entered his room with a bowl of something that steamed and, despite its appearances, smelled rather good.

His sleep-muddled brain had to do a double take when she offered him the meal in some garbled fashion, until he realized that she was speaking German, and that he knew what German was.

Yeah, that was right, he'd been dreaming he was home again, hadn't he…been hoping that when he woke up this other world in washed out browns and grays would be the dream world and Roy would be there to laugh at him and tease him about eating too much before bed giving him weird dreams.

The blond thanked her as best he could, still not knowing that much of the language yet, and sipped the broth until his senses were roused enough that he could think more clearly. His travels had landed him in a place called Munich, Germany.

Once awake, Ed wasted no time in getting dressed and gathering his things, slipping out of the inn with a kind smile to the innkeeper on his way and uttering once more a semblance of thanks. He was in such a hurry to get to the library that he didn't even have time to blink when, upon turning a corner, he collided with a taller, more squarely built form. Rubbing his hindquarters from where he'd fallen on the hard cobblestones, the irate blond was just about to look up at the offending object that had blocked his path and utter what curses he knew in German, when a hand reached down to help him up and an all too familiar voice thrummed from the taller figure's chest.

"Edward?" A glance upwards after swatting away the hand confirmed it, as he was now looking into the face of his father.

Of all people, Edward had to run into Hohenheim. Just his luck. Gathering his things, he brushed the man off and started back towards the library. It wasn't as if he loathed Hohenheim as much as he used to, he knew better than that now, but it didn't mean he wanted to see him.

He grumbled to himself as he heard heavy footfalls catching up with him, gritting his teeth when he felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"I have a place not far from here, you're welcome to stay…"

Ed growled. "I'll think about it, I'm busy now. I've got to get to the library so if you don't mind would you just leave me alone?"

He blinked when a small scrap of paper was stuffed into his gloved hand and the presence behind him left without another word. Carefully unfolding the parchment, Edward sighed, shaking his head and running his fingers through his bangs. It was an address, the crazy old coot.

Picking up his pace again, the pony-tailed blond stuffed the paper into his coat pocket. "Fine then old man, I guess it beats the train station benches or the library chairs…"

--

Hawkeye stepped into the outer office, looking over the other officers working diligently, albeit distractedly, at their desks. Hazelnut eyes narrowed slightly on the newest inhabitant of the pool, a dark-skinned, white haired woman with an eyepatch and only one arm. Something about that woman stank, and Riza Hawkeye couldn't so much as catch one thing out of place. It bothered her.

She shook her head and reminded herself what she was here to do, stepping briskly across the room to rap twice on the solid wooden doors to Mustang's office.

Upon hearing the mumbled reply, she let herself in, one hand holding the letter while the other instantly flew upwards into a salute to her commanding officer. "Sir, reports on the situation in Ishbar have arrived." When he nodded vaguely, she began to outline the reports.

Roy zoned out about halfway through, and was shocked to find himself in the middle of a busy street, feeling as though his feet were leading themselves. What in the hell was going on here, it felt too _real_…

"Sir? Colonel Mustang, sir?" The click of a gun's safety snapped Roy back to reality, he could've sworn he'd just been in the middle of a cobbled street with oddly dressed people walking around him speaking some funny language he didn't know. And he'd felt...shorter for some reason... "Oh...uh...you were saying, Lieutenant?" Riza simply looked at him and shook her head. "A letter from Ishbar has arrived for you, sir, please try to avoid daydreaming during office hours."

With that, she saluted again and turned on her heels sharply, leaving Roy's puzzled mind to boggle over what just happened. He glanced down at the brown, wrinkled envelope on his desk that had the name 'Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc' scrawled in the top left corner, the return address marked as 'Ishbar'.

The Colonel let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, surprised at himself for being worried that every letter he got might be the last. It was just negotiations, no harm in that at all, right? Who was he kidding… After Havoc's first letter he'd nearly burnt Hughes to a crisp when the man said he didn't know anything about it.

Pulling the piece of wrinkled parchment from his desk drawer, Roy re-read the first to see if maybe he could piece something together as to what was going on out there.

_Colonel Mustang: _

_Well, we're on the road to Ishbar, as you may very well guess, so please excuse the absolutely terrible handwriting. Seriously, I'm trying to do this as neatly as possible, but the roads haven't been repaired since the first time we built them, so things are a little rough. _

_All the oldsters in the company say hello and hope you're doing well. Mars is currently trying to steal my pencil and yell at you about the money you owe him (?), so consider yourself fussed at, I think. _

_We were re-outfitted at Central, and I have one of those new rifles. It's a good enough weapon – I think Lt. Hawkeye has access to one in the range. We also got some decent sidearms and I have a nice new knife. I'm not sure why we're armed to the teeth, and it's worrying all the veterans. The recruits seem to think of it as a game, like we're going out hunting rabbits. _

_I only wish. _

_Best regards, _

_Lt. Jean Havoc (and all the veterans in the 2nd Company) _

_(P.S. How's Ed doing? And tell Farman to pay me back, dammit.)_

Re-outfitted and armed to the teeth…the higher-ups definitely knew something, and that meant that Hughes would be able to find out what it was. He'd put the man on it a month or so ago, and he'd gotten a team of investigators to keep an eye on the situation. Still, Roy wasn't exactly having peace of mind, not by a long shot.

He placed the first parchment aside and tore open the second letter.

_Colonel Mustang: _

_It's just as hot, just as dry, and just as goddamn dusty as ever here in Ishbar. The Embassy is set up, with immunity for a two hundred yard radius around the camp, I swear I'm up against the same stupid dune I was last time and eating the exact same grit with my K rations. _

_You'd think they'd actually feed us better. _

_Believe it or not, we actually have some good news. Old Major Stanson's back in command here, thank god! You remember him, right? He's pretty unforgettable. Old, stooped, with a face like a peeved flamingo. All the recruits are laughing at him behind his back, but the vets are happy as hell. At least things will be done right now. _

_But I'm a little worried. If Stanson's commanding us, then that means Command expects us to engage in heavy combat, right? Have you heard anything about this back home, or is it kept under wraps? _

_Goddamn Central bean-counters. No, I'm not very happy about any of this. I have a really bad feeling about it all, and a lot of the veterans are probably thinking the same thing. _

_Ah, listen to me whine. It's probably just an old soldier's instincts getting out of whack. _Severely_ out of whack. _

_Best regards, _

_Lt. Jean Havoc_

Roy carefully folded the document again, replacing it in its envelope and pulling a clean sheet of paper from the container on the corner of his desk, dipping his pen into the ink well and scritching away.

_Second Lieutenant Havoc: _

_I'm having Hughes look into the situation still, but so far nothing has come up. Sorry I didn't respond to your first letter, it's been busy what with integrating your temporary replacement on the staff and the evaluations coming up. _

_Edward hasn't returned yet, he and Alphonse are taking an extended leave at the moment, and Farman said he had no idea what you were talking about. Hawkeye cleared it up, though, and the money's waiting for you when you get back, it's better to keep out of transit. _

_Major Stanson you said? If that's not enough to ring any seasoned soldier's alarm bells I don't know what is… We have an investigation team down there now, but they're not finding anything you haven't told me. _

_Be careful, Lieutenant, and be sure to report anything suspicious, if it's real trouble I doubt a team of fresh recruits and even a few vets would be enough. _

_Oh, hell. I'm probably worrying myself too much, you can take care of yourself. Give my regards to the men as well, hope to see you back home soon. _

_Respectfully, _

_Col. Roy Mustang_

--

_Location: Ishbar Outstation 1, referred to by the natives as Geriko. Location of a small rebellion recently, it is currently under constant scrutiny by the military. Soldiers and alchemists are usually scorned by its inhabitants._

A sandy-haired blond in a light blue hooded coat over a black jacket and pants set stumbled slightly, catching himself before he fell. He hadn't eaten in a day or so, and his canteen had run dry hours ago. The desert was starting to get to him when he finally spotted an outpost.

He licked his lips, trying to get rid of the dryness in his mouth, though it was rather ineffective. Vision a bit blurry from hunger and fatigue, he finally picked out the inn from the various buildings and headed towards it.

"No, you are NOT drinking any more alcohol!" one Miss Lisa Delgardie roared. "It's hardly even three 'o'clock, and you're drinking like a damned fish! What will your wife say?!"

The man in question quailed under her bright yellow gaze. "I'm... sorry?"

She sighed, shaking her head wryly. "Go home and sleep it off. Ishbara knows that the people here need it..."

As if the mention of their god's name was a cue, every single man got up and left, bowing respectfully to the Harpy from Heaven.

Rubbing his eyes, the young boy blinked to clear his vision, watching as several dark-skinned men left the building he was headed towards, all ambling off in whatever directions.

He walked past them as they left, nearing the door, though not before stumbling again and nearly losing his footing completely this time.

Lisa looked over curiously at the thud. She got up smoothly when she saw the boy. "Oh, poor thing. Are you hurt? I hope the buzzards didn't take a crack at you." She helped him up, holding a cool hand to his forehead. "H'mm... you have a slight fever, but nothing I can't fix..."

He swallowed the dry lump in his throat and steadied himself. "Thank you very much for your concern...um...I'll be fine, really..."

"Hmph. Men. Always trying to pretend that they can take care of themselves." She gently guided the sick boy into her kitchen and sat him down at the table. "How long has it been since you've had some water to drink?"

"Um...I'm not sure, several hours...are you sure it's no trouble? I can pay..." The young boy fumbled for his wallet.

She put her hand on his wrist, stopping him. "I don't need payment," she said, smiling. "I'm a doctor. I help anyone and everyone, no matter their condition or means. I don't take payment for healing."

The boy noticed the flamel tattoo on the back of the woman's hand, gray-brown eyes widening. "Um...I couldn't help but notice that you have a tattoo just like my old alchemy teacher's... My name is Alphonse Elric," he fished out the silver watch, holding it up, "Miracle Alchemist."

"I'm surprised Izumi let you take the exams," Lisa said, yellow fox-eyes crinkling a bit. "When she found out that my uncle was a National Alchemist, she nearly killed me before she extracted my promise not to."

She turned away, filling a tiny glass with water. "Of course, it's not like I can even pass the physical exams unless I had an angel in the military." She set the glass down in front of Alphonse. "Sip it slowly. If you drink it too fast, you'll make yourself ill."

"You knew my teacher?" Alphonse took the water and nodded, noting the woman's eyes and ears, peculiar... "...she doesn't know yet...I'm not going to tell her. I needed the money and access to the libraries so I could..." he trailed off. "You're a chimera, aren't you?" the boy took a sip of the water, slowly as per instructions.

"Knew her? I trained with her. I was a few years her superior, but we ended up apprenticing to Dante at roughly the same time." She grinned. "And you'd better tell her at some point that you're a State Alchemist. If she finds out on her own, you'll be worse than dead."

She raked her hair back, her slightly pointed ears flashing briefly.

Al set down the water on the table. "If I tell her, I won't be able to save my brother." He took her silence as an affirmative to the chimera question, and assumed she'd rather not talk about it. Flipping open his pocket watch, he traced his fingers over the carved phrase.

_DON'T FORGET. 10.OCT.3_

It used to be Ed's watch...he snapped the front closed again and slid the timepiece back in his pocket.

Lisa's hand seized his. "Are you trying to do what I think you are?" she snapped, eyes sparking. "Don't. It's not worth it."

"I was once a suit of armor, and my brother risked his life to return me to this body." Al took his hand back. "He was later killed by an ex-State Alchemist, or so they believe."

Determined and loyal eyes looked up at the woman before him. "Two people lost their lover, and I lost my brother. I have to do this for him, I don't care if it costs me my life, I will return him to his former body. He saved my soul from the gate, so I know it can be done."

"It's not like it used to be," she said, cupping his cheek in her hand. "Him saving you like that completely screwed up the energy flows from beyond the Gate.

"I'm sorry for your loss, and I'm sorry for those two people. But alchemy isn't functioning like it used to. Ties have been made and ties have been broken. The web has been fundamentally changed."

"I'm not going to change my mind...I'm going to bring him back." If anything, Alphonse was stubborn. How else could he deal with his brother?

Lisa's eyes saddened. "Don't do it to him. Please. You have no idea of what you're going to do to both him and you." She brushed his hair back, her hand as gentle as his mother's. "If you love your brother, if you care for his two lovers, if you value the bond between him and you, you won't do this. It just won't work. He'll be a monster, and you'll be worse than dead. If I lost my compassion just transmuting chimerae... you'd lose something even more fundamental.

"Alchemy isn't what it used to be. It's always been a dangerous science. Now, it's downright suicidal in some cases. Can't you reconsider?"

She would help him if he asked. But it would break what little heart she had left to see the innocent boy lose everything.

"I made a promise. I'll take as long as necessary to be absolutely sure everything goes right. If he could create my body and I can be standing here today, I can do the same for him."

It was obvious that Alphonse wasn't going to back down. "I've got nothing without him, you have to understand, he was my only family left...and I loved him... I know it's wrong, but it's what he wants too... I can hear him in my heart and in my dreams..."

She sighed, almost giving in. "You really have no glimmer of an idea of what you're planning on doing, do you?" she asked. "You really have no clue about what's going on?"

At Al's somewhat shamefaced silence, she got up. "Follow me, Alphonse. If I'm going to help you, I'm going to have to teach you first."

The blond boy stood after a moment of silent consideration. "Pardon me...but...I don't believe I got your name, ma'am..."

She waved a hand over her shoulder. "Just call me Lisa, kiddo. Scrap the formalities, too. We have too much to do that politeness would just get in the way. Come along." She opened a door in the far wall. "Watch your step, though, the stairs are steep."

"Lisa?" Alphonse followed her carefully. "As in Lisa Delgardie? The one Teacher made me organize documents for while Ed was on leave?"

"M'm? Oh, probably. You did a remarkably bad job at the organization, though. The Faustus documents should not have been cross-referenced to Milton's _Paradise Lost_. Milton wasn't an alchemist: he was a theolurgical writer with closer ties to Dante Alighieri than Doctor Faustus." A muffled yelp hardly startled her. "Watch your step. The array's carved deep and there's no light until we get into the workshop."

Al blushed slightly. "Sorry about that...there were still aftereffects of the transmutation then...they went away after my brother..." he trailed off.

" 'After-effects' my tail. You were probably just pleasantly distracted by your brother." She opened another at the end of the cavern hall. "Welcome to my study."

Inside was a small, spare desk, a filing cabinet, and a rather large floor harp. A bookshelf buckled perilously under the weight of several hefty volumes and the desk was covered in a swath of research. "I hope you can find a place to sit in this pit. I haven't cleaned for years."

The blush grew a couple of shades. "Erm...I'm used to crowded study environments..."

It was true though! He'd forgotten a lot of things and then those four years all just came flooding back when Ed disappeared... Alright... So Izumi had given him a specific listing order...

Okay fine, so he was distracted...

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	18. Letters

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Letters

* * *

** **Rating: **PG-13 (For mild use of language, mostly by Ed)  
**Pairings: **Implied RoyxEd, HavocxEd, and RoyxHavoc.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **If you don't know about Munich, it's spoilerific!  
**Setting: **Munich, Germany/Central City/Ishbar.**  
Timeline: **Letters over the span of approximately two and a half years, mostly closer to the end of said time.

* * *

_-- _

Fifth letter from 2nd Lt. Havoc to Col. Mustang:

_-- _

_Colonel Mustang: _

_This is disgusting. When it rains here, things turn into a goddamn mudpit. I think I even have mud in my teeth._

_Just our luck that we had to be here during the rainy season, isn't it? Four weeks solid of rain, then eight weeks of things growing like crazy. Hot, muggy, wet, sloppy, ugh. Everything's been slowed up because of it. Transportation, Supply, Munitions, everything. You name it, and it's been bogged down at least five times. And guess who gets to dig them out?_

_We've been told that Central plans on moving us back to just behind the Armestris border. 'Course, none of us really expect that to happen. I think it's a physical impossibility for Central to actually follow up on something like that._

_Anyway, tell Ed I said hi._

_Best regards,  
Lt. Jean Havoc_

_-- _

In response to letter from 2nd Lt. Havoc to Col. Mustang:

_-- _

_Second Lieutenant Havoc: _

_My sympathies regarding the rain, you already know my feelings on that particular type of weather. _

_I've had Hughes check into it again, and it's as you suspected. There are no official plans to move your company back onto Armestris territory, nor would it even be possible given our current situation. _

_The rest of the office says hi and we all hope you'll be home soon. Give my condolences to the Major for putting up with you this long. _

_Respectfully, _

_Col. Roy Mustang _

_-- _

Letters home from Edward Elric, unsent:

_-- _

_The Rockbells: _

_It sucks here you know. I can't even use alchemy and this stupid prosthetic is a bitch, you'd think that if this world were more technologically advanced than ours they'd be able to have better artificial limbs! How is it we ended up with the automail and they ended up with this shit? _

_I'd put up with Winry's beatings just to have something functional again! And don't you dare throw that wrench at me, that's a compliment!! _

_Take care of Alphonse okay? I'll be home soon, promise… _

_In loving memory, _

_Edward Elric_

_-- _

_Roy: _

_Stupid bastard, you let me die! You're supposed to know everything, why didn't you know that place was dangerous! Guess I couldn't keep my promise, huh? You know, the one where I said 'Roger that, I will not die before you, Colonel shit'? _

_Life is boring, they've got a lot of books though, and I'm learning a new language. You'd hate it here, it rains a lot. _

_When I get back, you so owe me a massage. _

_With love, _

_Ed _

_-- _

_Jean: _

_I hope you're taking good care of Roy for me, he'd be useless without somebody to cover his back. Maybe I'll take up French just so I can confuse the hell out of you and be sexy doing it. Hah. _

_There's a lot of people that have eyes like yours here, hair too, it's creepy. It gets me down though, I miss you… _

_I better get a good present for my birthday when I get back! _

_With love, _

_Ed _

_-- _

_The Hughes family: _

_How's Elysia doing? Bet it sucks you can't shove pictures in my face all the time, huh Lt. Col.? Don't bug Roy too much though, he's probably having a tough time… _

_I'd kill for one of Gracia's apple pies about now, man I'm hungry… Take care you guys, and tell Elysia happy birthday for me, how old is she now? That's right, she should be six by now… _

_Regards, _

_Edward Elric_

_-- _

Telegram from Unknown to Ashton Fawkes:

_-- _

_The investigations have been called off _stop _The raven hasn't noticed but the hawk is wary of me _stop

_No news on the mother and child, pretty low profile_ stop_ It's probably safe to show them the door any time when the purple eyes are elsewhere_ stop

_Second phase is in place, ready to go at any time_ stop

_Have the messenger boy for dinner, to pay him for his delivery_ stop

_End viper report_ stop

_-- _

Seventh letter from 2nd Lt. Havoc to Col. Mustang:

_--_

_Colonel Mustang:_

_Right when things seem to be doing okay, disaster strikes. The Old Major died a week ago. Medic said it was of a bad heart, but it's the first we've heard of any heart condition. He looked fine the day before._

_And then two of the new recruits were shot yesterday. Dead, both of them. An official inquiry's being held, but those two kids probably just stuck their noses into someplace they shouldn't have._

_We're getting another battalion in tomorrow. You must have heard about it. They're mobilizing backup for the 'Bodyguard Platoon'. We've been having reports of strange activity around the immunity zone, little border skirmishes. No one's been hurt there, but... there's always a but, and I don't like this one._

_Earlier today, me and some of the off-duty veterans played a game of craps out of sheer boredom. Aside from losing the dice three times (stupid sand), I won three month's payroll – including hazardous duty bonus! – off of Mars. Now he's sulking and really wants the money you owe him. Dare I even ask why you owe him money? No, never mind. I don't want to know._

_Best regards,  
Lt. Jean Havoc_

_-- _

Response to letter from 2nd Lt. Havoc to Col. Mustang:

_-- _

_Second Lieutenant Havoc: _

_I've had Hughes call off the investigations on account of still no results. You're on your own out there, Lieutenant, so take care of yourself and your team. _

_My sources say that the new battalion will be mobilizing in your stead, which means your company should be relieved soon. I only hope that it's going to be soon enough. _

_Come back to me alive, Lieutenant. That's an order. _

_Respectfully, _

_Col. Roy Mustang _

_-- _

Telegram from Viper to Alleycat:

_-- _

_They'll be letting the first bunch of dogs run back with their tails between their legs soon_ stop_ Let the light of the full moon be the signal to take both the old and the new to their graves _stop

_No problems here, plans running smoothly _stop_ See you in a few weeks_ stop

_-- _

Unfinished letter found on the person of 2nd Lt. Jean Havoc, in addition to an official attack report:

_-- _

_Colonel Mustang:_

_Just two more days until we actually start heading back to Central! Our scheduled tour of duty's finished, so the battalion that came to back us up is staying and we get to go home._

_The alarm bell's ringing, I wonder why ––_

_--_

_Official Report: Ishbar  
At 23:30, the Armestris Embassy in Ishbar was attacked by an unknown group of soldiers. Second Platoon (D Company) went up against two suspected biological superweapons. Only three soldiers survived the initial attack, one of which died from his injuries at 01:00. Another soldier has been fatally wounded and is not expected to live out the night, doctors say. No names have been released as of this report._

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	19. Cry, Let Slip Loose The Dogs Of War

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Cry, Let Slip Loose The Dogs Of War

* * *

** **Rating: **PG-13 (For mild language use, violence)  
**Pairings: **None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **None  
**Setting: **Ishbar  
**Timeline: **Final assault on Ishbar Outstation 1 before Havoc's company can be withdrawn.

* * *

It was near midnight, and time to throw away the negotiable guise, so it had been decided finally. The relief squadron would never make it to the border, and as for that petty little platoon that was left...pity their souls in the afterlife... 

The air was crisp and still, night sky crystal clear, yet dark with the new moon, seven shadows lined up just out of sight, signals given in silence as three broke off from the group undetected.

It was then that the first deafening shot rang out in the dead silence, giving the lookout just enough time to sound the alarms.

Havoc looked up sharply from the letter he was writing. The alarm bells were ringing, fit to wake the dead.

"Come ON, Havoc, we're under attack!" Mars yelled.

He grabbed the letter, folding it up and cramming it into his breast pocket. _No worries, right_? he thought. Grabbing his rifle, he joined his squad.

_Perfect...let's see how they fare...good girl, Cruelty..._

A howl split through the night.

"Havoc, what the hell was that?" Mars said, worried.

"I have no idea... but whatever it is, I don't want to find out," Havoc replied grimly. "I'll bet you pennies to a bun that this is the folks we were supposed to negotiate with."

Their orders were recieved. The entire platoon was to spread out in a flanking manover, spread their lines thin. It was insanity.

A sleek form darted past Havoc suddenly, wildly glinting eyes focusing on him for a milisecond before the weasle-like creature was gone, and the soldier to Havoc's left sputtered and choked on his own blood.

Havoc hit the ground, checking the kid's pulse. Dead. He cursed. Mars touched his arm.

"Everyone's getting slaughtered. It's horrible."

"Go back, tell someone, anyone what's going on. We're as good as dead here." Havoc slid his handgun out of its holster. "How many are left alive?"

"Five." A shriek made both men cringe. "Four."

"Three..." A familiarly sleek voice corrected, as Mars was torn from Havoc's side and pounded with a sickening crunch against an obtrusive rock. The large, scruffy looking figure grinned broadly, idly crushing the man's skull with his bare hand. Nothing but a disappointed snort huffed out of the beast, black eyes glittering darkly at Havoc in the dim light.

"You should've been out by now, Lieutenant...too bad...but you know too much as it stands, we can't let you leave..."

Havoc's eyes narrowed, shining electric blue with rage. Later he would cry, but now... "I knew there was something wrong with you..." He got his handgun up and fired an entire clip at the monster.

"Could've been a pretty slave..." Deceit laughed, easily avoiding the shots and ducking to come temporarily face to face with Havoc. "A pity, really...but I can't stand dogs..." The feline pupil shone eerily in the dark, the swish of fabric and a furry tail being the last the soldier saw of the one known as Deceit, before two shots rang out behind Havoc and the cat was gone.

Another snort, and Havoc was thrown to the ground, gun wrenched from his hand in a brutal motion that snapped his wrist, as the other hand was effectively dealt with similarly. A whiskered sneer was shot down at him before the stinging pain was evident at the side of his neck, and the hulking creature calmly trodded away, steps heavy in the sand.

Another howl pierced the night air, and the seven shadows slipped away, several of the soldier's bodies within their grasp. A feast was in store for these particular Abominations...sickeningly enough...

Havoc's eyes closed... _What a way to go..._ He felt blood clot underneath him, mixing with the sand to form a gritty paste. _A disappointment, really..._

His last thought before he lapsed into unconciousness was the end of an old prayer his grandmother used to recite

The eager tread of those that go to die

Tell of the men, who, counting earth's dross,

For you will gladly yeild their latest sigh

For God have glory - Hell have utter loss.

-  
_Several days later, once the official report has reached Central...  
_-

Deceit lazily glanced around the small, overly drab room, lounging boredly on one of the few pieces of furniture. "Hmm...fetch me some whisky, will you, love?" One clawed hand waved nonchalantly towards Falsehood, and he grunted, shifting his position a bit. "Mischief dear my leg's cramping..."

Quietly, Falsehood did as requested, doing some fancy juggling with bottle and glass. "One or two measures?"

"Two, it's going to be a long night..." The feline chimera rubbed his temples lightly.

Mischief yawned, stretching in Deceit's lap and purring as she sat back up to absently nibble her master's ear, tail curled around her scantily clad form.

"If it's gonna be that bad, give 'em three," Slaughter remarked from the corner, his heavy voice vaguely amused. "Alchohol's the best painkiller, y'know."

Falsehood smiled fondly back at the big chimera. "Shut up, you big ox."

A quiet chittering sound came from the opposite corner, as Cruelty gnawed avidly at a bone, beady eyes darting every so often down at the hungry looking Sabotage, from whom she'd stolen said bone. She spat slightly, hissing at the boy for looking at her wrong and scurrying to a higher location.

Slaughter shook his head. "Honestly, what's the point of this? We're sitting here, doing absolutely nothing. The little 'un's are getting stir crazy."

Falsehood passed the whisky to Deceit. "Not to mention some of the big ones, too..."

Deceit simply chuckled at the behaviour, grinning a fanged grin as Sabotage growled at Mischief. He tilted his head up to the rafters, single emerald eye focusing on what lie above. "How's it hangin' up there ya old bat?" There was an amused tone to his voice.

He took the glass from Falsehood, taking a sip and grimacing slightly. "Strong...that's good...ahh...settle down you guys, there's no point in moving out just yet, so let's bask in the victory for a while, eh?"

"Doin' just dandy, boss." A black, fanged head poked out over a beam. "I'm bored as hell, though. I wish I could be out doin' something instead of pretendin' to be asleep."

"If the little wench would give me my damn bone back I'd be more than happy to let it be...why'd she have to come along anyway...I don't trust the little sneak.." Sabotage flicked a furry white ear, towards Mischief, golden glare apparent. "Little thief..." He slinked over to the couch, choosing to lounge at Deceit's feet now and give up on the bone, despite his instincts that made him have the inkling for ferret.

Falsehood leaned back against the rickety table. "Come on, Deceit. We don't look very victorious. In fact, old scabbychops over there," she nodded over at Sabotage, "looks like you just pulled him from the sewer."

"I resent that remark, viper..." came the snapped retort from the wolf boy. Deceit simply grinned. "Well...that's his problem, he's old enough to give himself a bath, isn't he?" Claws scratched gently behind Sabotage's ears. "You could always come down here and join us if you'd like, Discrimination...nobody ever said you had to stay up there all the time..."

"Ehh... not to fond of little snakes and sour wolves." Discrimination waved a bony wing-arm down at the motley gathering. "Safer up here than down there, you know."

Slaughter chuckled. "You think I'm very safe? I'm a big grass-eater surrounded by little meat-eaters."

"Keyword: Big," Falsehood remarked. "You could kill any one of us with a tap from your fist."

Cruelty took the chance to flash a sharp-toothed, snide grin. "About as dull as a river rock, though, and falls ten times as hard."

"I'll choose to believe that you're talking about my sense of humor," Slaughter said mildly.

"Take it how you wish to, oh large and blunt herbivore..." Cruelty flashed another grin, beady black eyes glinting from her high perch.

"Shut up, you little rodent!" Falsehood snapped.

Discrimination retreated back into his little nest. "Now you see why I'm not coming down?"

Cruelty's eyes twinkled again, but she remained silent, gnawing on the bone once again with sharp little teeth.

"I really thought I raised you all better, you're acting like children...and Cruelty...I know you always do your best to live up to your name, but please, do be considerate of your brethren..." Deceit smirked, Cruelty wouldn't defy him, he knew that, but as for riling up the others...she had a nack for it...

Falsehood sighed. "Again, Deceit. What the hell are we doing here?"

"Falsehood, calm down," Slaughter said gently. "Pestering him won't get you anywhere."

"True...it won't..." Deceit chimed in. "Just because not all of us are daytime creatures doesn't mean we shouldn't allow those who are a chance to sleep every now and then..." He purred, tilting his head to the lynx beside him, who was, despite all of the noise, fast asleep.

"Ugh." Falsehood stalked past, muttering uncomplementary things about the lynx. "You're all insane." She climbed up on Slaughter's lap, curling up into a fetal position.

Slaughter stroked her white hair absently. "But really, Boss," he said. "We're getting stir-crazy. A lot of us were used to being free to wander where we want, and being cooped up like this isn't healthy."

"I don't want to risk going out so soon after an uprising...I'm not going to foolishly put you all in the open after a massacre like that..." Deceit yawned idly, sipping some more at the whisky.

"It was fun, though," Descrimination said happily. He burped a little and giggled. "Tasty, too."

"Glad you had your fill, there's some seargent major left in the back if anybody wants a snack." The catboy grinned ferally, highly amused.

"Oh, for..." Slaughter put his large hand against his large head. "You're all nuts."

"Oooh! Ooooh! Me, me mee!" The bat-chimera fluttered to the ground. "I'll share with any flesh-eaters, too!"

"You're the only one of us that's an herbivore, Slaughter, it's almost a crime that you love to kill but don't take pride in the spoils!" Deceit prodded Sabotage lightly. "Go fetch him, will you?" The wolf simply grunted in compliance, sulking to the back as regally as possible to snatch the remains.

"At least I'm feeding the rest of you," the bison chimera said in a dignified manner. "I never said I didn't take pride in it either - I just don't EAT them."

"You know what I mean..." Deceit waved it off casually, then winced. "Dammit, Mischief, your claws are digging into my hip!" He gingerly removed Mischief's hands from his leg as Sabotage strode back in, already tearing off a rib and gnawing on it idly as he tossed the carcass into the center of the table. "Sorry to take first dibs...I know it's not polite of me, leader..." The wolf shied away to an empty corner, picking bits of flesh from his sharp teeth with the end of the rib.

Descrimination hopped up to the table, rooting around for the heart. He squeaked happily, yanking the organ out.

Slaughter cocked his head thoughtfully. "Whatever happened to that Second Lieutenant that you has such a fancy for, Boss?"

Falsehood choked and woke all the way up. "WHAT!"

Deceit leaned forward, snatching a wrist, and with a deft twist and a bit of stabilizing from his foot, he wrenched the arm from the rest of the body. "By my calculations, the poor fool should be dead, unless somebody actually managed to perform some kind of miracle to keep him from bleeding to death out there in the desert...but we did miss the heart, so it's possible he's still alive, despite the fatal blows that Cruelty made to his juggular..." With that, the feline tore into the flesh above the elbow, busying himself with chewing.

"Why didn't you let him live?" Slaughter inquired curiously. "He may have been of some use to us..." He was interrupted Falsehood's screech.

"WHAAAAT!"

Descrimination winced. "OW! Tone it down, lady!"

Deceit winced slightly as well. "He knew too much, and was definitely not the type to convert so easily...I'd had my eye on him as you know, and it's a shame we had to waste such a loyal soldier, I know..." The boy paused for a moment before resuming again after swallowing. "But he was loyal to Mustang, too loyal..."

Slaughter shrugged. "A pity. I would have liked to have gotten my hands on him." He blinked, realizing something. "You LEFT him there? Why the hell didn't you bring him back with the others! That way we would have made sure! YOU VERY POSSIBLY LET SOMEONE LIVE WHO KNEW WHO WE ARE!"

Deceit simply grinned, wiping a bit of congealed blood off of his face. "All the more interesting that way...I told you once we started that I planned to leave at least one of them alive...the mental trauma will be enough to drive them mad if nothing else...trust me, Slaughter, I know what I'm doing..."

"If this Second Lieutenant is anything like you've described him, I doubt that he's going to go insane," Slaughter pointed out.

"Point...but he should be severely incapacitated from those wounds, and if not...then we'll have something a bit more fun to go up against..." Deceit purred, returning to his meal.

Descrimination started in on the dead man's liver. "Good grief, Slaughter, you worry too much. If Deceit says he knows what he's doin', then he knows what he's doin'," he said, spotting the look on the big chimera's face.

"My only thing is, you may be overconfident about this," Slaughter said quietly, before subsiding.

Deceit shrugged, continuing his meal in silence.

Now it was Falsehood's turn to wax wrathful. She stalked over to the cat, yanking him up. "What ARE these people TALKING ABOUT!" she hissed into his face. "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there!"

Swalling his current mouthful, Deceit sighed lazily. "It's nothing important, Falsehood..."

"Why, you..."

"Why, I, what..." Deceit's tone became suddenly predatory, as a blue light crackled around Falsehood's wrist.

She shrieked, letting go. "Nnng..."

"Boss, stop it," Slaughter said. "She's just worried."

"If I've told you once I've told you too many times." The glow faded and Deceit settled himself back on the shabby couch with what was left of the arm. "There is no reason to be worried about my plans..."

"I don't think she was worried about your plans -"

"Shut up, you ox!" the woman snarled.

The feral grinned at that. "Jealous, much?"

Falsehood slid away with what remained of her dignity, curling up in her place in Slaughter's lap.

Meanwhile, Sabotage had dozed off in the corner, and Deceit simply continued his meal, tossing the tiny phalanges up to Cruelty, who snatched them out of midair and expertly rid them of what flesh they had left.

Descrimination finished off the liver and burped again. "Mmph. That was good. How long are we gonna be hangin' out here, boss?"

"A few days at least...then we'll head back north...Falsehood, however, will be heading out in the morning...certainly they'll be wary of your term of absence back in Central...do take care of any...Intelligence threats that may pop up as well...won't you, love?" Deceit purred the last bit.

"I'm assuming you're talking about Hughes," she said grumpily.

"You would be correct..." the lazy cat replied casually.

"What? You want him dead or just taken out of the picture of the time being?"

Deceit pondered that question for a moment, a grin sliding upon his lips. "Kill him."

Falsehood smiled, baring thin, sharp fangs. "Right. I'm assuming he's the only one I kill?"

"Off anybody else you deem necessary..." He purred, tossing the leftovers of his meal back onto the table, which gave a rickety creak. "Do have fun..."

She slid off her friend's lap. "I always do." She gave a mock salute. "I'll head out now, with your permission, sir."

"Permission granted." Deceit grinned at the mocking formality. "Safe journey, Falsehood, rendevouz in Liegenstadt, you've got two weeks."

"Got it." She scooped up a military jacket and hat, settling them on her. She disappeared out the door.

"Don't even open your mouth, Cruelty..." Deceit snapped, to which there was a clicked tongue and a faint scratching from the ferret in return. She had been planning to say something, but he knew her too well.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	20. Death of the Man, Birth of the Animal

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Death of the Man, Birth of the Animal

* * *

** **Rating: **PG-13 (For mild language use, graphic gore in transmutation)  
**Pairings: **HavocxEd  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **If you don't know Munich, this equals spoiler.  
**Setting: **Side one in Ishbar, side two in Munich, Germany.  
**Timeline: **The hours after the massacre of military personnel stationed in Ishbar.

* * *

_The world was a washed-out dirty grey... no color, no life. It was supremely depressing._

_Havoc sat down on a bench, trying to figure out where the hell he was. There were no landmarks to help him._

"Lisa, he's slipped into unconsciousness. We don't have much time."

"Colonel, I can't do anything if he hasn't signed the paper – you know the rules just as well as I do."

"He has signed the paper, now just do it!"

Lisa Delgardie – a not-very-well-known alchemist who specialized in chimerical transmutation of humans for medical reasons – flipped her coppery hair over her shoulder. "Are you an idiot? I may be a genius, but I can't do a chimerical transmutation unless there's an array involved! Not even the Elric brothers could do that." She ran her left hand through her hair, the scarlet flamel tattoo prominent against her pale skin. "Get me the animal and bring Second Lieutenant Havoc down to my lab."

**_Shit! Rain again, why didn't I feel that one coming!_**

_A boy of about eighteen with long, blond hair, tied back in a ponytail and looking rather like a London boy, dashed through the streets with an odd gait, dress-suit drenched and the bottoms of his shoes covered in mud as he held a faded newspaper over his head to try and keep himself dry, unsuccessfully._

_He didn't stand out anymore by now, at least not to the locals. They were used to the one known as Edward Elric, Hohenheim's son, making a general spectacle. He was too interested in rockets and space, not a very grounded boy at all. _

_Havoc decided to get up and explore his surroundings, since he was obviously NOT in Central and NOT in Ishbar anymore._

_Rain had never been an annoyance to him, and he strolled sedately down the way. Until a boy barreled into him._

_"Oh, excuse me," he said politely. Then got a good glimpse of the young man. "My GOD!"_

In the middle of Lisa's workshop there was a gigantic array carved into the floor, two smaller arrays fitted inside.

The alchemist supervised the movement of Havoc's limp body into the middle of the second array. "There will be a twenty-four-hour critical period of gestation," she informed the surgeon. "In that time, you cannot disturb me, otherwise the lieutenant will die. What am I crossing?"

The surgeon nodded to two of his underlings. "Lieutenant Havoc and a male lion."

The beast was dragged in, fighting its captors weakly.

_**Ow! Stupid good for nothing-**__The boy looked up, golden eyes widening in shock, reaching out his left hand to touch a face he hadn't seen in years._

_"Jean...? Wh...what are you doing here!" Ed's voice was worried, it wasn't even an undertone, more like blatantly obvious. "Forget it...come on, we should get out of the rain before we catch cold!"_

_The golden eyed boy grabbed the older man's hand, and attempted to head off down the street, only falling as his hand slipped._

_"Ouf! Damn leg!"_

_He struggled to get back to his feet, stumbling a bit and falling against Havoc, clinging instinctively for support._

_"This isn't right...you shouldn't be here..." The boy's words were barely above a whisper. _

_Havoc pulled the young man upright, steadying him. "Where exactly IS here? I don't mind admitting it, I'm confused as hell. One moment I was in Ishbar, the next I was here, sitting down on a park bench. What the hell is going on?"_

"I have a sixty-five percent success rate, and none of the chimerae I've created have ever gone mad or lost their memory. The least you can do is trust me," Lisa snapped. "The lieutenant has a three-to-two chance of survival. Now get out before he dies completely!"

The surgeon scuttled out, his attendants following rapidly.

She scratched the tranquilized lion's ear absently. "I'm sorry about this. But it has to be done."

Lisa clapped her hands and touched the outer edge of the main array.

**_Ishbar...oh god...no..._**

_"Don't worry about it...let's get inside..." Ed pointed at a nearby house._

_"The door's open, just hurry..."_

_He squeezed his eyes closed, glad for the time being that it was raining, and that tears couldn't be distinguished from the rain dripping down his face. _

_"Ed, wait a second. **Where am I**__" He lifted Ed's chin, puzzled by the obvious tears. "What's going on?"_

The reaction itself took an hour. Lisa wiped her forehead, averting her eyes from the mess on the floor in front of her. It always made her want to throw up.

"Twenty-three hours of gestation," she repeated quietly. "Don't let me down, lieutenant."

**_God...don't look at me like that...please..._**

_Ed turned his head away and started to walk towards the door he'd pointed to before._

_"We can talk about this once we get dry, I don't want to have you catching cold..."_

_He waved one gloved hand over his shoulder._

_"Come on...inside..." _

_Havoc sighed, following the young man indoors. Doubtless, he'd be told at some really rotten time. But he was still curious as to where he was and why... nothing... looked... like... it... was... supposed to? Including himself?_

_"Ed –"_

Steam rose from the non-human lump on the floor, accompanied by a moan of pain.

Lisa watched the blood ooze out from the combined bodies, wincing. She knew exactly what kind of pain the lieutenant was going through, and sympathized deeply.

"C'mon, Havoc..."

_Without so much as looking at Havoc, Ed began to strip out of the drenched clothes, throwing them in a pile on the floor._

_"Come on...out of those wet clothes...I'll get something dry from upstairs...the stove is over there, go warm yourself up..."_

_The boy acted as though everything was common sense, just motioning to the glowing warmth across the room and heading upstairs to get a couple of blankets and some dry clothes. _

_Havoc unbuttoned his brown jacket, frowning at the worsted wool. He'd never wear something like this back in Central... and a black silk string tie? White silk shirt?_

_He peeled off the shirt, looking curiously at a little tag at the nape of the neck. "Harding Bros. Inc. of England. Made in China."_

_"Wha...? China? England? What's that?"_

Lisa felt faint. She had exerted too much energy to pull of the reaction. Right before she passed out, she managed a weak chuckle. "Damn... I must've really wanted you to live, Jean."

_Ed came back down, snatching the clothes from Havoc's hands to discourage further scrutiny. "Hurry up...pants too..."_

_The boy himself had a thick woolen blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and apparently was wearing nothing else._

_Golden eyes dared to glance over tanned skin, and narrowed slightly...what was that? It was undoubtedly an alchemical array...god why couldn't he remember! He'd seen that same array before..._

_Edward shook it off, holding out the other blanket to Havoc and walking across the room to sit by the warmth of the coal-lit oven. _

_Havoc reached out to grab the blanket, then doubled over in pain, retching._

With a cracking and rupturing of bones, blood vessels and muscles, an almost-recognizably human hand reached up out of the mess. It clutched uselessly in the air as a horrible roar-cum-wail of pain echoed through the stone laboratory.

_"Jean!" Ed somehow managed to support the older man just enough so that he didn't hit the floor too hard._

_The boy wrapped his blanket around Havoc's shoulders as well, cradling the man in his arms._

_"What happened, Jean...? Are you okay!" _

_Blood began to run out of the man's mouth as he clutched at his stomach. A tiny whimper of pain was the only sound he managed to make._

The ungodly sound slowly synthesized into a voice recognizably Jean Havoc's as the hand attempted to lever the steaming mass off the floor. The curve of a man's back slowly became evident, then collapsed back into the sick mess of blood, flesh, and fur.

_"Oh god...Jean...god...what's happening to you..."_

_Now that Edward's face was dry, his tears were even more evident, heat that dripped down onto Havoc's shoulder as he held the man closer._

_"God...I can't...I don't want to lose you again..." His voice was barely a whisper, etched with pain and loneliness._

_Edward began to run his fingers through Jean's hair, not even realizing it at all as he did so, nuzzling his face in the damp, dirty blond mess. _

_"Ed..." The pain receded into a dull ache, and he finally managed to support his own weight. "Ed... what the fuck... is going on...?" A shaking hand touched the young man's cheek. "What's happening to me?"_

_Pain glazed over blue-green eyes._

Another scream echoed around the chamber, as the mess convulsed, once, twice. Leonine and human features merged into a semblance of Havoc's face, though they moved and shifted fluidly.

_"I don't know...I don't know...it'll be okay..." Despite how many times he told himself that, Ed still didn't believe a word of it._

_"Let's talk about old times, okay? Roy...how's Roy doing?"_

_The golden-eyed boy forced a smile on his face as he brushed strands of straw-coloured hair out of Havoc's face. Brows furrowed slightly, betraying his worry upon seeing green mixed with the familiar blue. _

_"Roy..." Havoc's face tightened at another spasm. "I... don't know. I haven't seen him for three years..." He convulsed, again retching blood._

Deep blue-green eyes opened in a mostly human face, pupils contracting and dilating wildly. Neck and shoulders developed with a horrible cracking sound, attaching the face and lone arm. A hoarse voice whispered, "No..."

_"I won't let go...stay with me, Jean you can't go now!"_

_Ed propped the man up against the wall, wiping away the blood from his mouth with a corner of his blanket, wiping at his own tears with the back of his arm, the rest of the blanket pooled around his waist._

_"Come on, Jean...you're strong, I know it...you can make it..." _

_Havoc's chest heaved in labored breathing, even as his eyes stared uselessly ahead. "Ed," he whispered, fear obvious in his voice, "Edward, I can't see anymore...!" His eyes darkened._

Fanged teeth gritted uselessly against the pain, as another arm developed with the same excruciating sounds. Fur rippled down his naked shoulders, appearing then disappearing.

_I _will_ live!_

A human roar echoed for the third time.

_"Just try and relax, Jean...I'm not going anywhere I promise..."_

_Ed's voice wavered with each word, though he tried to keep it steady, fingers threading restlessly through still-damp hair._

_He cradled Havoc again, face resting in the crook of his neck as he sobbed quietly._

**_I finally see you again...and now...you're going back...it's better this way...but I can't help but want you to stay..._**

_"It's just a nightmare...you'll wake up and everything will be fine..." It was more for himself than Jean, really... _

_"Am... Am I dying?"_

"God, grant me life," the Havoc-chimera whispered hoarsely. He pulled himself up, even though his legs were not yet developed. Strength flowed through what existed of his body. "I'm alive..."

_"No...you're going back to where you belong...tell everybody I'll see them soon, okay?"_

_Ed smiled through the pain, it was better this way...it was..._

_He leaned up and kissed Havoc's forehead lightly._

_"And I'll see you soon too..." _

_Havoc's entire body convulsed grotesquely as a scream of pain ripped from his throat. Then he was limp, eyes empty._

In one massive burst of excruciating agony, the rest of Havoc's body developed.

Long, lean, tough muscles rippled beneath dark golden skin. Messy blond hair flopped into blue-green cat eyes. Pointed ears caught every little sound.

Havoc was a perfect fusion of lion and human, and he was alive again.

_"Al...it's almost time now...I can feel it..."_

_Body wracked with sobbing breaths, Edward clutched the limp mass of flesh and blood and bone to his chest, supporting the head and cradling it carefully as hot tears flowed down his cheeks and onto the cold skin._

_"Take me back home...please god just take me back home..." _

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	21. Cold Welcome Home

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Cold Welcome Home

* * *

** **Rating: **PG  
**Pairings: **Implied HavocxEd  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **Noooooone!  
**Setting: **Central HQ.  
**Timeline: **Havoc's return to Central.

* * *

"We're at Headquarters," Lisa said softly to him. 

Havoc didn't even bother looking out the window. "Yes, I know, ma'am." He smiled ruefully at her. "This won't be easy."

"No, it won't," she agreed soberly, handing him his military cap. "Neither for you or those you care about."

Swallowing convulsively, Edward Elric walked down to the main lobby and outside, spotting immediately the car in question.

_God...he's alive...thank god...I was so worried... _

Something didn't feel quite right, though...and Ed slowed as he approached the car.

Lisa opened the door, hopping out and holding it for the lieutenant. He slid out with fluid grace, more feline than human.

Havoc lifted his face up to the sunny sky, enchanted by how he didn't have to squint anymore – his pupils contracted into tiny, paper-thin slits.

After a moment enjoying the sunshine, he settled his cap firmly over his ears and forehead. The shade dilated his pupils back to something close to a human's and the cap itself hid the pointed tips of his ears. He would pull off being a human...

Oh, _damn_... unless Ed told him to remove his cap... which probably would happen...

He smiled bitterly. He was a human for now.

Edward grimaced slightly as the memory of the other side surfaced.

_"Am...am I dying?" _

He quickly shut off the memory upon seeing the bright blue of a military uniform and, for just a short moment, a flash of dirty blond before it was covered with the same blue.

Fullmetal's face broke into its old grin, one he'd left behind three years ago. Three long years...turning the touchy National Alchemist into a more somber, and believe it or not, taller, boy of nineteen.

He still wore the familiar red coat, still the same clothes, just a bit bigger, a bit more matured.

"Hey! Jean!" Edward broke into a run, slowing only as he neared, to skid to a stop in front of the Lieutenant. He straightened to attention and gave a mock salute. "Welcome back..." The words sounded funny coming from his mouth, or maybe it was only because he himself had received the same treatment just days before.

Military parade-ground rituals came back in an instant as Second Lieutenant Havoc straightened and snapped off a salute proper of the rank of the young man in front of him. "Major Elric. It's good to be back, sir. And to see you again, if I may be so bold to say." He kept his head at a slight angle so the black brim of his cap mostly obscured his eyes.

_Please, god, don't let him tell me to take off my cap... please... _

He heard Lisa run her left hand nervously through her hair behind him.

Edward grinned at the instinctual behavior and relaxed. "At ease, Lieutenant..."

The alchemist tilted his head a bit, taking a few more steps forward. "Three years...has it really only been that long? I missed you..." Ed rubbed the back of his head a bit absently, looking down slightly.

Havoc relaxed into the at-ease position, still a little tense. "Thank you sir." His ears picked up the sound of Lisa and the other military men backing off to give them a little privacy. He smiled a little, not showing his teeth... which would have been a dead giveaway to something wrong.

"It's been a rather boring three years without you underfoot all the time."

At Ed's approach he lowered his head a bit and tugged the brim down unobtrusively.

Edward blinked, noticing the uneasiness in the air. "Jean? Hey, what's the deal huh? It might've been three years but I can still tell when something's up...you never wear that damn hat..."

The braided alchemist leaned down, trying to get a good look at Havoc's face. "Come on, and quit calling me sir...it makes me feel old..." He made a face.

"Sorry, Ed. I'm just feeling..." He shoved his hands in his pockets, averting his gaze away from the young man. "Hey, you got a cigarette? Dr. Delgardie back there wouldn't let me smoke back in Rehab."

_Please, don't ask about the hat... _

"Rehab? You get hit on the head or something? 's that why you're actually wearing the hat this time? And why you're asking me for a cigarette, when you know damn well I don't smoke and have no reason to keep any on me unless I'm hiding them from you?" Ed frowned, a bit frustrated and confused at the weird vibes he was getting.

Havoc lifted his head to look at the young man, at a complete loss for words. He couldn't tell what happened, not until he reported back to Colonel Mustang... even then, he knew what would happen.

He puffed a miserable little sigh.

Ed's eyes softened and he took a step closer, reaching out to put his hand on Havoc's shoulder. "Jean...what's wrong...whatever it is you know you can tell me...I've seen a lot of things, you know...it's not like I'm going to be scared or anything..."

The boy managed a smile. "And for god's sake take that stupid hat off, it doesn't suit you at all!"

_Oh, god, no, I don't want to show you... but I have to trust you, otherwise what else is there...?_

Havoc managed a weak smile. "I'll take you at your word, kiddo." He reached up, slipping his cap off, feeling his eyes contract in the bright sunlight.

_What...the..._

Ed detachedly noticed that he'd jerked his hand back from Havoc's shoulder, some distant part of his mind registering that the look on his face must have been something just short of sheer horror.

_Oh god...no...no..._ "No...nonono..." He was shaking his head now in disbelief, taking a step back.

The arrays he'd seen suddenly flashed vividly in his mind...

_Oh god...why...no...!_ "Y-you...y-y-you're..." Ed choked on the words for a second. "You're not human!" He stumbled back another few steps, shock and hurt and horror painstakingly obvious on his face. "You're not Jean...I...I don't know you!"

Catching himself as he tripped and fell over the hem of his coat, the blond alchemist scrambled to his feet, squeezing his eyes shut as hot tears escaped them and he turned away and ran. Blindly running to wherever this nightmare wouldn't be...this couldn't be...but it was...

Numb. No thought but a tiny despairing wail crying, "Why didn't you let me explain!"

Brilliant blue-green eyes filled with tears and he could only distantly register a young lieutenant saying,

"Sir, we have to restrain you now and get you up to the Medical Ward."

He didn't even notice the cold metal cuffs being put on his wrists.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	22. Falsehood of a Viper

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Falsehood of a Viper

* * *

** **Rating: **PG-13 (For language, really)  
**Pairings: **HavocxEd  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **Noooooone!  
**Setting: **Central HQ.  
**Timeline: **Ed goes to apologize to Havoc for running away.

* * *

Wiping his eyes again for good measure, despite the fact that they were already raw from him rubbing them so fiercely, Edward trudged slowly and shakily down the hall, finding his carefully collected composure had become increasingly less collected with each step he came closer to the room that was labeled "Jean Havoc." 

Blond hair was in disarray and many strands had fallen loose from the braid. Ed would admit it himself, even. He looked like shit.

It wasn't even close to how he felt, though...crushed...

"Dammit...I'm not going to cry!" He hissed, trying to force back down the tears that threatened to rise again.

_But why...why didn't I see it before...why couldn't I stop it...this is too cruel... _

_"Dammit, I'm not going to cry..."_

Havoc barely registered the words, not even bothering to lift his head from his folded arms.

The room he was in was painfully clean, white and featureless, and his only refuge was the window that looked out over the parade ground.

That's where he was now, pillowed on the windowsill, alone.

Ed swallowed down the pathetic, horrible moan that tried to rise up in his throat and bring forth more sobbing just like before.

_One foot in front of the other...one...two...one...two...left...right...left...right..._

And then he was there...human hand trembling over the doorknob.

_Shaking...? How long have I been standing here? _

Edward had to choke back a guilty, pained sob that rose without warning, and he barely managed to keep it at bay as his hand clutched the doorknob tightly. Just go in...no turning back now...

His knuckles were white before he finally turned the knob, wincing at the creak of the hinges as he slowly opened the door, unable to look up. If he looked up, he wouldn't have been able to stand anymore...he wouldn't be able to keep the control he'd already almost completely lost...

The blond alchemist stood there in the doorway, still trembling from the tension caused by holding back everything with all that he could muster. He couldn't look...just shut it out, Ed...shut it out and everything will be okay...

_No...no it won't...nothing's okay... _

"... go away..."

Was that hoarse croak really his voice?

"I'm not going anywhere, Jean..."

Ed finally managed to step inside, closing the door behind him and sliding down against the wall to sit.

"What happened...no...that's not the right question...is it..." He found his voice eerily calm compared to the raging, churning emotions inside his chest threatening to burst out at any second.

"I guess...what I meant to ask was..._why_..."

"Why? Because without the transmutation I would have died, away from home and away from you. Now, I have a chance to kill the bastards who killed all my friends." Havoc got up, spreading his manacled hands as far as they would go.

"Look at me, Major Elric. Look at me! You were right, I'm not human anymore. I'm an animal, a monster, created for two reasons: to hunt and to kill."

Edward swallowed and forced himself to raise his head to meet Havoc's eyes, biting his lip as he got to his feet, each step towards the older man-now-chimera forced by another emotion. _Rage._

With one swift movement, the back of the alchemist's hand became very acquainted with the side of Havoc's face. He'd hit him. _Hard_. "Quit with the damn formalities, Jean! They obviously didn't take your heart, or am I wrong?"

He didn't even realize what he was doing until it was done, and the tears found their way from his eyes. It was then that Ed couldn't find the strength anymore, and fell to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why would you care?" Havoc snarled, long sharp incisors bared. "I'm not Jean, remember? You ran away from me when you told me you would stay. I have absolutely no reason to trust you anymore! Why should you be anything more than a superior officer to me when you obviously don't want me as I am?"

He looked down on the boy, cold, uncaring, unmoving, but broken and bleeding inside. "Go. Go back to Colonel Mustang. As a chimera, I'm not good enough for Major Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."

He turned away, leaning heavily on the windowsill. "I was never good enough for you, was I...?"

The younger boy bit his lip, wincing as he tasted the metallic tang of blood.

"I wasn't ordered to come here and see you, you know!"

It was hard enough coming back after losing him once...Edward was strong...but to come back to _this._..

_You didn't even tell him I was dead, did you Roy...typical...drop the burden on me to lighten your load...now I've got to be the one to keep the secret..._

"I...never had to come here..." Ed felt almost as though he was watching the scene rather than a part of it, and he didn't even register standing up and wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "Maybe I shouldn't have...if that's how you feel..."

He stepped towards the door, hand hovering just over the knob. "I..." Ed fumbled for the words, trying to string together something that would make sense out of the jumble of thoughts and emotions swirling inside of him. "Maybe it's me who was never good enough for you, Jean..."

The creak of the door hinges.

"I'm sorry..."

"It didn't have to be like this," Havoc said softly. "Why did you run away?"

Edward paused in the doorway, left hand clenched tightly at the tension and stress that threatened to rip him apart.

"I was scared... and it hurt... it was too much to bear so soon... so suddenly... I had to..."

He didn't bother to say the rest... he shouldn't... if Roy hadn't told Havoc... it was better for him not to know...

_I ran because I know more than you do... you think it was just a dream... but I know what really happened... I knew you would've died... I knew because you almost did... but I never wanted anything like that... I would've rather lost you than have you lose yourself... I was selfish... I didn't know what to do... I wanted to throw up..._

"Ed, stop trying to spare my feelings. I know it has to do with me being an apparent monster.

"Let me tell you something: I knew I was dying. That's why I volunteered for the transmutation in the first place. I needed to keep living."

He was pretty sure that was part of the young man's problem.

"And... you... you were not alive here either were you...?"

Ed swallowed hard, unsteady hands moving up to the back of his neck. _There's no use hiding it anymore...is there..._

He let out a ragged sigh, closing his eyes and closing the door once again, still inside. Shakily, he shrugged his coat from his shoulders, letting the crimson garment fall to the ground, as he unfastened his jacket and let it fall similarly. Finally was the black tank top, the one final thing that hid what Alphonse had done to get him back.

Fingers trembling, Edward lifted off the shirt, just holding it in his right hand as his left traveled up his spine. He hissed slightly as his fingers brushed the seal, red as blood and twice as sinister a meaning.

It wasn't the same as other human transmutations, though...it bore the unique symbol that the Elric brothers alone wore, captured within an array that was unfamiliar even to Ed. How Alphonse had come up with it, how he'd done it, the older Elric still didn't know...Al wouldn't tell him...

Finally, he spoke. "It's only been one week..."

"Don't worry, I won't ask you anything more. It's just that I smelled blood when I saw you before, and I began to worry."

He turned around, rubbing the red mark on his cheek where Ed had struck him. "I was worried about you."

Edward looked over his shoulder at Havoc, leaning down to pick up his coat; it was a bit chilly in the room.

"...It wasn't a dream... it was the other side of the gate..."

Draping the red fabric around his shoulders, he turned and walked over to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it and sighing heavily.

Havoc watched the boy, not entirely unsympathetic, but entirely unwilling to go comfort him. He was still smarting from Ed's slap. "Tell me, Ed," he said impulsively. "Am I really that terrible to look at?"

The blond alchemist lifted his head, turning to focus golden eyes on Havoc. For the first time he just looked... it wasn't even that obvious really... it's just those eyes had caught him so off guard...

"No, Jean... you're not..." Ed said truthfully. Chimera or not, Jean Havoc was a very attractive man... and if Ed didn't know any better... he'd almost swear he heard himself think just now that those eyes were... even more stunning than before...

"Again... I'm sorry for how I reacted... really I am..."

Havoc shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I'll have to get used to it sooner or later..." The emptiness in his voice was painfully apparent and he winced. "After all..." Here his mouth curved into a bitter smile. "I'm not human anymore."

"I wonder what I am then..." Human and automail hands clutched the coat tighter, as Ed turned his head away again, bangs falling in front of his eyes. "On the other side...there's a gravestone marked 'Jean Havoc, living despite all odds'..." His smile was pained, but genuine.

Havoc was touched by the last remark. "So you buried me..." he said softly. "The way I was supposed to be buried here...

"Did Colonel Mustang tell you how I was killed? Two cuts across my neck at the main artery and vein. Shot through my left lung twice... I'm alive, but I paid a price. Oh, and what I paid..." Brilliant cat eyes gazed steadily at the boy. "At least you have your humanity. That's more than I can say for myself."

"You're just as human as I am, Jean... you've just got a little extra..."

Edward brought his knees to his chest and smiled sadly. "I don't want to lose you again...it was hard enough to let you go back there..."

A smile came this time, easy and full. "Oh, don't worry. I'm like an old bad penny – I always come back." A tiny, pregnant pause. "And I'm sorry for flaring off at you earlier. It's... you running away rubbed me a little raw, and seeing you come back like this made me so angry. I wondered why you would care to see me after a reaction like that. I felt... like an animal in a zoo." Another grin, quick and sharp. "We're never ever going to a zoo once we get out of this, all right?"

"Never really liked the zoo anyway...wild animals tend to have a nasty smell." Ed wrinkled his nose at the thought and flopped back on the bed, rolling over on his stomach and looking up at Havoc.

"But you smell like cigarettes, and I don't know an animal alive that would smell like cigarettes all the time..." There was a hint of a spark in golden eyes, as a grin spread across the younger male's face.

Lithe and quick, Havoc moved across the room and sat next to the prone boy. "Truce, then? M'mm... speaking of cigarettes, next time you visit, do you..." he trailed off and his eyes glared at the young man, full and sharp. "Do you have the Medic Warden's permission to see me right now?"

"Weeeeeell... you could say that..." Golden eyes skirted the glaring gaze professionally, as one hand dipped into his coat pocket and pulled out a single, slightly bent, cigarette, twirling it between his fingers. "Besides... does that really matter that much...?"

A feline grin spread across Ed's lips, as an equally feral glint shone in his eyes that now met Havoc's gaze again. "You don't have any more visitors today, anyway..."

Without hesitating a moment, the alchemist tucked the cigarette between the older man's lips, and in the same moment leaned towards him, breath grazing lightly against Havoc's ear in a whisper.

"Why not let me be the judge on how human you are?"

Blue-green cat-eyes widened in shock. _What... what the hell? Did I miss something...? _

He lifted his chained hands. "Whoa, wait a minute, Ed!"

Then he noticed his wrists were bleeding – the handcuffs had rubbed him raw.

"Hesitation... a human trait..." Ed was idly unfastening the clasps and buttons on Havoc's jacket, golden eyes flitting back up to the other man's gaze. "If you're not going to smoke it then you might as well put it down.." Without even waiting for a response, he snatched the cigarette back from Havoc again, leaning over and putting it on the side table before returning to the buttons.

"Chimera or no, you haven't lost what drew me in the first time..." There wasn't even time for a retort before three years of loneliness and longing poured itself out in a single kiss.

"No, Ed, wait!" He tried to fend the young man off, but the cuffs caught at his wrists painfully. He hissed between his teeth.

"You shouldn't see my scars... not until they've faded..."

Too late. The twin diagonal slash marks on his throat had already been revealed. And he knew it was only a matter of time until the sick mess of scar tissue disturbingly close to his heart would be revealed.

Ed slid over to straddle Havoc's waist, touching his hands together and clutching the chain that dangled between the cuffs on the man's wrists, a blue light crackling for a moment as the restraints were transmuted into a tangled mass of steel which the alchemist swiftly tossed aside. He then tugged the military jacket free from Havoc's body, similarly tossing that aside before his human arm draped around the older man's shoulders, automail fingers deftly twining in the black fabric of his shirt as golden eyes stared intently into blue-green.

"I've already waited three years, Jean..."

Edward neglected to mention then the humiliating incident the day after his restoration...where Envy had his way and left a broken boy, spent and stripped of all dignity, alone on that bridge...how he'd broken down and told Roy everything...how he'd been so uppity and nervous around Roy ever since then...how he couldn't even trust Al...

He leaned closer, the tip of his nose brushing Havoc's. "I need this, Jean... I need you..." His voice trailed off, and a glistening tear streaked down his cheek. "I haven't felt alive since then... none of this has felt real... I need to know that I'm still alive, Jean... that you're alive and that I'm not going to lose you again... nothing else matters..."

Havoc's self-preservation instinct kicked in, and he began to lick his chafed wrists. Little streaks of blood were left on his lips and face.

"I... I know how you feel..."

"Jean..." Edward trailed human fingers through straw-colored hair, shifting forward so that Havoc's back hit the sheets, strands of golden blond tickling the sides of his face and neck as the younger boy leaned down over him.

Silence reigned for a moment before Ed leaned further, licking away the small crimson streaks. He paused after a few seconds, taking in a slow breath as his tongue retreated from the corner of Havoc's mouth with similar slowness.

"Just don't make me stop... please..."

The harsh and pleading whisper was swiftly followed up with a fierce kiss, automail fingers twining together with Havoc's left, human still buried in tawny locks of hair.

_There's so much wrong with you, why can't you tell me? What do you have to hide from me? _Ed had never been this desperate before, nor had he ever been so aggressive.

With a soft, capitulating sigh of submission, Havoc surrendered to the inevitable.

Despite the growing warmth in the pit of his stomach, Edward felt almost icily cold...and for a moment he could see -

_All around him hands were reaching out, icy fingers scratching across bare skin, tendrils wrapping around his limbs and trying to tear away his very soul._

- Nails dug into the tanned shoulder, mouths separated as a strangled cry wrenched itself from Ed's throat. He clung desperately to the body beneath his own, as though somehow it were his only anchor to the world.

Havoc's jaw clenched as several hormones got together and set off another of the self-preservation instincts. His new body was not fond of physical pain of any degree, and he quickly put his hands flat on the mattress before claws could spring out of their pads and into the young man.

"Ed! Snap out of it before I kill you!"

The urge to kill was growing stronger as Ed's grasp tightened on him. Desperately, he tried to wake the young man up. "Major Elric!"

Golden eyes suddenly snapped open, wide and fearful, unseeing in the short moment that followed, pupils contracting and dilating in hopes of finding something to focus on, but there was nothing but white in his line of vision. Edward's breath caught sharply, a flicker of violet betrayed in golden irises for a split second as the world around him came flooding back.

His first instinct was to shove off of Havoc, away, as far as he could get, and Edward was soon huddled in a shivering heap at the opposite end of the bed, eyes still wide with fear. The only sound was his ragged and uneven breathing.

Havoc sat up slowly, his own body still urging the bloody death of the young man that had so recently vacated his personal space. Gingerly, he unhooked his claws from the mattress, picking off a few stray feathers.

"Ed? What's wrong?"

He had a very distinct feeling that even going near the boy would be a very bad idea. Because of both his condition and the young man's.

Golden eyes remained wide in fear, pupils still dilating and contracting erratically. Every so often he would twitch away from something that wasn't there, eyes darting frantically like a frightened animal.

It was then that Edward's eyes seemed to focus on a point somewhere to the left of and slightly above Havoc's left ear. Something clicked into place in Ed's brain as he slowly took in a long, deep breath...and in the next instant, his pupils contracted sharply, lip trembling as his entire body was tense, frozen stiff as a look of pure, raw fear manifested itself upon his face.

The entire medical wing was sure to hear the bloodcurdling screams that followed, repetitive, unending, refusing to cease until the braided alchemist's throat was dry and raw, his voice hoarse and unable to carry on.

Havoc covered his sensitive ears and groaned, cringing at the horrible sound. It was bad enough that he could hear the infinite dissonances in the tones, but what made it worse was that it was Ed. _His_ Ed. He hunched over, curling into a tiny ball, mewling at the pain in his head.

_You don't belong here, blasphemous wretch! Come back, back to your own kind! Earth isn't for you anymore, monster! Your home is purgatory! Return!_

"I...wo...o...n..ot...goin...ack...ne...er..."

Breaths ragged and voice hoarse and painful in his throat, screams were reduced to pitiful rasps and occasional squeaks. Golden eyes were partially glazed, half from fear, half from something else, whatever it was that he was seeing.

"Can...ake...me...o...ba...k...s...s..s...sta...ay...a...awa...y..._stay away from me!_" There was a clap followed shortly by blue light, the bed lurching and shifting, suddenly throwing Havoc against the far wall of the room. The sheets rose and slithered through the air, winding and twisting throughout the room, casting a maze of tangled fiber with Edward at the back, cowering and choking out even more incoherent strings of word fragments, barely visible beyond the messy web of white.

"Great," Havoc muttered. "I've seen shell-shock before, but this..."

Deciding to risk pretty much everything, he dove through the tangled mess, using his nifty claws to tear through the cloth when he was impeded too horribly much.

Finally managing to worm his way through to the young man, he grabbed him in a hug – protecting but not stifling, comforting but not constraining. However, he was ready in the event that Ed took exception to his display of affection.

"Ed... Everything will be all right. It's just a hallucination... I'm here for you..."

Suddenly tense, a few fleeting streaks of violet shot through golden irises. Ed slowly relaxed, however, as the feeling of warmth pricked through the seemingly inescapable cold. His eyes closed slowly and the alchemist let his arms slide around Havoc's waist, tears falling hot on the tan shoulder that remained unmarked by small crescent moons of red.

"Jean... I want you to kill me... end it... I shouldn't be here..."

Havoc looked down at the boy, shocked, incredulous, and just the slightest bit hurt. "Of course you should be here, you little idiot! I went through hell and high water to see you again, and I'm not letting you go!"

He cuddled the boy close. "Suicide's not worth it, Ed. There are so many people here who would be devastated to see you put in the ground. Your brother. Winry. Lieutenant Hawkeye. Colonel Mustang. Me.

"Not to mention what people went through when you died the first time. Not to mention what happened to get you back.

"Don't wish for death. I've seen too much of it, and I don't want to see you go." He tucked Ed's head more securely in the curve of his jaw, neck and shoulder and began to purr comfortingly.

"I'm selfish and you know that, Jean... and I'm the one who's really suffering from being here now..."

Ed tried not to give in, trying to keep his mind set on fulfilling this need and ending these outbursts... he'd only been back one week now and this had happened five times... once he'd even turned on Al...

"I'm not human, Jean... and the other side wants me to remain torn between two worlds rather than be in either one... I can't just keep fighting this... I need it to end... I don't know any other way..."

There was a stern resolution in his voice as he gritted his teeth with the strain of holding back emotion for the sake of getting this over with before he changed his mind and collapsed under the pressure. "Lieutenant... I don't want to have to order you to kill me."

"Respectfully, sir? You're an ass. Even if you order me to kill you, I'll disobey. Then you can have me court-marshaled. Makes my day." He was getting increasingly annoyed, and therefore his voice had lowered several pitches and had begun to sound suspiciously like a disgruntled male lion's growl.

"Stop thinking like the sixteen-year-old kid you used to be. Grow up! You're supposed to be here, not there! I don't care if the other side (whatever the hell that is) wants you to go to Timbuktu, you're here! And you're supposed to be here!"

_Here with me..._

He flexed his free hand again, and the long, sharp, black claws sprang out from the pads of his fingers. "Think rationally for a minute. Do you really want to die like some poor, stupid animal that's too weak to outrun the hunter?" He took a deep breath, preparing to get hit again. "Do you really want to be a weak coward?"

Hearing the sound of muscle working and joints snapping slightly, Ed reached out and grabbed Havoc's free wrist, pulling the hand over his shoulder so that the tips of claws rested against a slightly raised, red as blood alchemy array. "You were never on that side... not really... just a figment for a fraction of time... you never saw the gate, the eyes, never truly felt the cold... but I've been there and back so many times... been stuck in the middle... Blood is warm, Lieutenant... living flesh is warm... If I'm not really truly alive... then what stain is it on anybody's reputation to exorcise me back to the damnable Purgatory between worlds?"

Ed put pressure on Havoc's wrist without warning, flashes of violet crossing his irises once more the only clue that something was seriously wrong. "Just scratch that blasphemous mark from my shoulder and stop my suffering, Jean..."

The blond alchemist's voice wavered, hesitantly. Was this really what he wanted? Ed didn't even know anymore... It was all too much to bear all at once... but it would be soon now... He could feel the tickling sensation of a single drop of blood that slithered its way down his back from the small puncture he'd caused with Havoc's claws. Soon... and Fullmetal actually believed that nothing could make him change his mind...

Havoc allowed his claws to retract. "No," he said calmly. He got up, leaving Ed. "If you want to die so badly, do it yourself. If you're really so desperate to end your life because you're too lazy to fight whatever's wrong, then I refuse to help you. I won't have the blood of another innocent person staining my hands, and you least of all."

Ed winced as slowly he came to his senses, the flicker of violet leaving dull amber and carefully collected resolve shattering in his eyes, leaving only the broken half-human that he'd been made into. His look was pleading, but he couldn't will himself to make any move other than to look up at Havoc, fresh tears welling in his eyes once more.

"Dammit, Jean... I don't have the strength to fight this! Not alone!"

"You don't have to fight it alone," the older man pointed out shortly. "You never had to. If you would just stop seeing yourself as being alone and heroic, you would have realized that before you said the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say."

He stalked through the mess of sheets to grab his shirt, slip it on and button it up. However distraught Ed may have been at that point, he wasn't comfortable with his scars out to see for all and sundry.

Edward got to his feet, shaking slightly at first, but steadying himself almost immediately. He grabbed his tank top from the floor as he reached the door, slipping it on without so much as a single word or glance towards Havoc.

Fullmetal opened the door, after pausing for only a moment. "I've always been just a lost cause, haven't I? No matter how hard everybody keeps trying to bring me back up to my feet I always fuck things up..." The braided alchemist still hadn't looked back.

"I'll send Al to clean up the mess...don't bother to look for me around later, I'll be going to see the one person I know who can effectively beat some sense into me... if that doesn't work... I'll have to think..."

One boot-clad foot stepped out the door, and then paused. "I don't know when I'll be back...feel free to ask Mustang about the past week, if he withholds, tell him I wanted you to know... oh, and tell him not to come looking for me, unless he wants the butcher's wife to cut off his tail before he can tuck it between his legs and run..." And with that, Fullmetal was gone, the door closing almost silently behind him. Violet eyes blinked rapidly as he walked off, sifting off to return to their usual golden hue.

Edward couldn't have done it himself. It had been Fullmetal that walked into that room, and it was Fullmetal that walked out of it. Edward was really only half-there... it wasn't really what he wanted to say... and it wasn't really what he wanted to do... but Fullmetal protected him... funny, how a name can become a shield with which to deny what's shoved blatantly obvious in your face.

Havoc cursed Ed several times, (stupid little git being the least of it) tore open the door and sprinted down the hall.

Grabbing the back of Ed's collar he yanked him back. "See here, you little nuisance," he snarled. "I told you I wouldn't let you go, and I won't.

"I don't care if you're human, a chimera, or hell, even a homunculus. You're still the charming, bratty little Ed I threw up on in the train station and still the straightforward Ed that... well... nevermind."

He spun the young man around glaring at him with an incendiary look in his slit-pupiled eyes. "Besides, I've been assigned to be your bodyguard, so where you go, I go, boyo. Take it and lump it." And, just because it was a superior officer he was smarting off to, he added, "Sir."

The mask slipped for a fraction of a second, as a hint of shock and hurt sparked in golden eyes before it was set back in place again.

Edward shrugged the Lieutenant off and started walking down the hall again. "I don't need a fucking b-" he'd started to say, but was cut short as something suddenly shot past him.

The something would have impacted square in the center of his forehead, had it not been for Havoc's quick reflexes that took him to the ground before he even knew there was anything wrong. Realization dawned on him as he turned to look over his shoulder, and saw the skyline of Central City instead of a plain, white wall.

"-_bodyguard_..." Ed managed to choke out, trembling as his mind patched together the fact that the wall that no longer was, was supposed to have been _him..._

A dark-skinned woman in a military uniform, the stars insinuated she was a Lieutenant Colonel, stepped forward into the hallway, one gloved hand on her hip, the right sleeve of her uniform dangling empty at her side.

The overall look was of a fierce superiority, self-assured and with the glittering look in that one slit-pupiled golden eye, warranted.

There was a slight hiss in the woman's voice when she spoke, sharp and clipped as one would expect from a committed military official. "Very impressive, Second Lieutenant Havoc... I see the operation was a success?" The woman paused, taking in the scene before her while at the same time not even really seeming to see any of it. "And Fullmetal... you're looking quite healthy as well..."

She smiled, a cold smile, really, and continued. "You will both come with me for debriefing." The statement stood firm, commanding. Although it was not said, the woman's words were unquestionably an order.

"Like hell we are," Havoc retorted, adrenaline still surging high. Getting up, he kept his front towards the woman, protecting Ed from any threat she might have posed.

There was a funny smell around that woman, and he didn't like it at all – cold, musty, but sweet. Unconsciously, his upper lip curled up, revealing sharp, white teeth. The claws on his left hand sprang out.

A flicker of violet specks danced across Edward's irises, and he stared dumbfounded at the woman from behind Havoc, still on the floor.

"Wha..." was all he could manage to say.

Golden eye narrowed to a slit. "That is an order from a superior officer, Lieutenant!" The woman snapped, not making a move at all. "And if you wish to keep that pathetic title I suggest you do as I say before I have to get the warden to put you in a cage..." The malice in her voice was sharp, but to anyone who didn't know better, it would simply seem as though she was a woman who severely abhorred insubordinate officers.

"First time I've seen you," Havoc remarked. "Besides, I've been debriefed about three times already. I never got notice of a fourth debriefing."

The scent finally clicked in his head. Snake. Adder? No. Something else.

"And it's Second Lieutenant, ma'am."

"The Fuhrer would be pleased to hear of your skills of intuition, Second Lieutenant... And the debriefing is mostly for Fullmetal, not you." The one-armed woman still stood at ease, but with an air of superiority lingering about her. "_Now_, Major Elric!"

Subconsciously responding to orders, for reasons unknown, considering he didn't usually tend to follow orders, Edward scrambled to his feet in a hasty salute. "Ma'am!" He walked past Havoc and towards the Lieutenant Colonel.

"So what's it like to be a cold-blooded reptile?" Havoc said easily, tensing to get hit by more than one person. "I'm assuming your operation wasn't as... successful as mine?" His tone was slightly mocking, but there was still the hint of a growl. "I'm surprised you managed to weasel your way in here, little viper."

"Jean what the hell are you talking... about..." Ed let his words trail off, looking back slowly from Havoc to this woman in front of him.

"Wha...h...how..."

The woman's mouth broadened into a fanged grin. "That's a good nose you've got there, dog of the military...or rather...cat as it would be..." The brilliant blue of a military jacket hit the floor, revealing a black, low-cut, tight-fitting shirt, one sleeve long and dangling to the right side where an arm wasn't present to fill it, the other sleeve short, cut right at the shoulder to reveal the glittering scales that ran down her arm. Before long, the scales had snaked their way upward, peaking into stripes on her cheeks. Navy blue hat was tossed aside recklessly to reveal a short, rebellious looking style of silvery white hair. Her visible eye never blinked, though a semitransparent membrane slid over it, moistening it.

Falsehood bowed swiftly, forked tongue flitting out to smell the fear emanated from the alchemist before her. Before there was a chance to react, she'd struck, taking Fullmetal by surprise with a deadly kiss.

Her one eye looked directly at Havoc, as the boy in her arms started to go limp, and she pulled away, smirking as that forked tongue slid out again before Falsehood 'blinked', sliding past the boy as he dropped to his knees, past Havoc in the blink of an eye as she hissed into his ear..."Best find him the anti-venom quickly... if you want him to live..." ...and out the gaping hole in the wall behind them.

"Jean... I... don't feel so good..." The blond haired alchemist's eyes rolled back slightly as he collapsed to the floor without warning.

"Anti-venom... Oh, fuck!" He stooped down to quickly feel Ed's pulse. Still going strong, even though it was occasionally erratic. "Looks like you're going to get your wish, kid," he muttered sourly. "And you said you didn't need a bodyguard... you stupid ass, how could you not tell!"

He moved smoothly, muscles working lithely as he catapulted away, sprinting towards the Medical Supply at the end of the hall.

Edward convulsed violently, spilling the contents of his stomach on the tiled floor next to himself, mouth gaping for air that his lungs couldn't seem to get, searing pain shooting throughout his body as he dry heaved a few times more, each time the stomach acid burning his already raw throat.

_Fuck! _

Havoc skidded into the Supply room, almost crashing into a tall metal cabinet. He looked around, searching desperately for the 'Desert Wounds and Injuries' closet.

Bingo!

He tore open the doors, searching for venom serum. He found it on the top shelf, already in a syringe, ready for application.

There IS a God!

He grabbed it and sprinted back out.

Ed lay there in the middle of the hallway, muscles occasionally twitching and jerking involuntarily, a cold sweat blanketing his body.

Havoc skidded past the prone boy, going down on all fours and digging his claws into the tile. That stopped him quite nicely.

He jabbed the syringe into the side of Ed's neck (the artery) and pushed in the plunger. After he was completely certain the serum was in, he collapsed back into the wall and waited for the kid to wake up.

And boy, was Ed ever going to get the riot act.

After a while, slightly glazed golden eyes flickered open, and Edward was overcome with a coughing fit that drug him to his knees with a rude awakening.

"Did... did I... am I... where... Jean!" The boy's voice was confused at first, and then panicked, as clouded vision slowly began to focus on military blue and straw yellow. "Oh thank god..."

A weary look of relief swept across his face, the tiny flecks of violet slowly melting away into pure gold.

"Welcome back," Havoc remarked noncommittally, cleaning tile and grout dust out from under his fingernails with a claw.

Edward breathed a heavy sigh, crawling wearily over to Havoc and collapsing again, head resting on Havoc's thigh as golden eyes slowly closed, the blond alchemist succumbing again to sleep.

"Oh, for..."

Figures he'd pass out on me, Havoc thought sourly. My room's a mess, I'm a mess, and he expects me to take care of him?

As angry as he was, he had to admit that it was preferable to Ed's other moods that hour.

Grunting slightly, he lifted the boy up and cradled him in his arms.

"Now I get to clean up my room. Funsies."

The blond boy stirred slightly, instinctively clutching at Havoc's shirt, whimpering.

"...I'm sorry...Jean..."

Havoc's jaw tightened. It took all his considerable willpower not to flare off here and now.

"I sure hope you are, Ed. Otherwise you're not going to like what I have to say at all."

Edward sighed, his grip loosening slightly as he mumbled incoherently in his sleep.

As he carried the boy back to his room, a petty officer came panting up to him. "Lieutenant, what happened here?"

"An unwarranted attack against myself and Major Elric," Havoc replied coolly. "Staged by a woman impersonating a Lieutenant Colonel. She escaped through that hole in the wall." He twitched his head back. "A ground patrol should be in order."

The young officer nodded fuzzily. "Right. I expect you and Major Elric to be summoned later for a full report." The inefficient young man dashed off, not even questioning the odd picture that Ed and Havoc made.

Havoc opened his door onto the rampant chaos inside. He sighed, depositing the comatose boy onto his bed.

"Well, this isn't too bad of a mess..." he remarked, tearing down the sheets and piling them at the foot of the bed. "I guess I should be thankful you didn't totally mess up my room."

After cleaning up, he glanced down at his wrists, which were bleeding again. "Oh, damn."

Havoc tore up some strips to bandage his wrists with, hoping they wouldn't swell into cantaloupes by the next week. If they did, he'd be one severely unhappy camper.

He perched himself on the windowsill, waiting for his Horror from Hell to wake up.

And he was still severely pissed.

Ed never really meant to cause any harm...but it would be hard for anyone who hadn't been across the Gate to know what it was like to be pulled back through it by force.

_Cold...so cold... _

In truly cat-like fashion, Havoc could feel himself dozing off in the warm sunlight.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	23. Desperation

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Desperation

* * *

** **Rating:**R (For sex, what else?)  
**Pairings: **HavocxEd  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **Noooooone!  
**Setting: **Central HQ.  
**Timeline: **Smut.

* * *

_It was a night attack, and the desert air had turned cold. Stars glittered, cold and uncaring, in the clear skies. _

_Sand crunched beneath his platoon's feet as they rushed to the site under attack. Sharp cries and gunfire only accentuated the need and haste required. Orders were given. They were to spread out in a flanking maneuver, spread their lines thin. _

_The veterans knew this was ridiculous, a perfect way to get all of them killed. The rookies, young, green recruits obeyed the orders to the letter, forcing the line thinly. _

_They rushed the hotspot, but no one really had any time to attack before gunfire tore them to shreds. _

_Havoc hit the sand, checking the pulse of the kid next to him. Dead as a rock. _

_Bullets hit him from behind, tearing through his left lung, inches from his heart. Blood bubbled up into his mouth and nose, making it nearly impossible to breathe. He'd drown in a matter of minutes. _

_But he wasn't going down without a fight, unlike the poor sods around him. He went for his sidearm and got two shots into an approaching attacker. _

_"Too late..." Knives slashed across his throat from behind, severing the main artery and vein. _

_He knew he was dead as soon as he felt the icy steel dig into his skin. _

Havoc woke up with a strangled cry, toppling off the windowsill.

Ed woke with a start at the cry, practically jumping from his spot to Havoc's side before he was even fully aware of what he was doing.

Havoc cursed so creatively and violently (in three different languages, no less) that the paint nearly peeled from the walls.

He rubbed his shoulder, which he had banged in his undignified sprawl. "Oh, for... talk about nightmares..."

He touched the scars at his throat, just checking to see that they were closed and healed. It was stupid, he knew. But it was one of those irrational fears that every single soldier had after being wounded in combat.

"You okay?" It was a stupid question, and Ed knew it, but it was the only thing that came to mind.

Havoc baited at the sound of Ed's voice, shrinking into a defensive position. "Don't touch me!" he spat as the young man extended a hand.

Edward winced, but refused to back away, edging closer as one hand gently rested on Havoc's back. "It's just me..."

Havoc tensed at the touch of Ed's hand, vision temporarily going blood red. Slamming his fist into the wall, he snarled, "No!". But whether it was to Ed or his own... reaction he wasn't sure.

A spider web crack blossomed from the impact of his fist.

The younger boy cringed, but the hand on Havoc's back didn't leave, instead slowly rubbing. "Jean..."

"They say I'm a perfect chimera," Havoc whispered bitterly, tears beginning to fall from his richly colored eyes. "I have my memories, my heart, everything I had before. I'm nearly human. But those stupid memories... the feel of cold steel at my throat... those bullets tearing through my lung... drowning in my own blood... the sheer hopeless despair of knowing my own death was staring me in the face... no one should have to remember what it felt like to be killed.

"To make it worse... my body wants to kill anything that makes it remember..."

"I know what it feels like to die... I remember it every time I sleep... it's faded a bit... but it's still there..." Ed scooted up next to Havoc, wrapping his arms around the older man's waist. "You're right... nobody should have to know that..."

"It hasn't faded... it'll never fade, not for me." He rested his forehead against the back of his hand. "I don't want to live like this, worrying that I'm going to kill you whenever you touch me. I don't want to have to dance around your feelings to see if you're going to go into shock again."

His shoulders began to heave with sobs.

"We're alive now and that's what matters, Jean! Some twist of fate has given us another chance, why waste it?" Edward nipped lightly at Havoc's left side, where he knew the scar was. "It takes time for these things to go away... it's still relatively new..."

"So says the young man who begged me to kill him a few hours ago," he whispered sadly.

At the gentle nip, Havoc's oversensitive skin shuddered, sending a muted message of pleasure up to his brain.

"I said the same thing to Al... it just slips out... I'm not quite myself then..." Edward nipped again, a little harder this time.

"I'm assuming this is along the lines of what you wanted to do the first time you came in," he said weakly.

His entire body was screaming SEX at him.

_Dammit, when did Ed figure out this is how to drive me nuts? _

Ed sighed, nipping lower on Havoc's side through the thin fabric of his shirt. "I don't know what I wanted to do when I came in here the first time, honestly..." His voice was a bit dreamy.

Havoc let out a low, growling purr. He turned over, pulling Ed down for a kiss.

Ed was quick to comply, arms moving up from Havoc's waist to his neck. He tilted his head slightly, tongue slipping into the kiss not long after.

"This is what you want, right?" Havoc nuzzled Ed's neck, licking briefly at the smooth skin.

Ed shuddered at the feeling of a slightly rough tongue against his skin, moaning softly.

"Nnnngh..." Not much of a reply, but Edward managed to nod once ever so slightly.

"Oh, come on Ed," Havoc growled playfully, biting the young man's neck lightly. He licked the tiny marks. "Don't make me do all the work again... you're old enough to play..."

He kissed Ed, teasingly and lightly.

Ed's eyes opened partially to glance down at Havoc, and he dipped his head to return the older man's teasing gesture, lips and tongue trailing along his jaw line and down his neck, nipping at the diagonal slash scars lightly as he shifted his position to straddle Havoc's waist.

The braided alchemist sighed against the Lieutenant's neck, nuzzling his head there. "Not going to make me leave your shirt on, are you?" the boy mumbled against the crook of Havoc's neck.

_Defensive instinct? Hello? Where did you go? _

Out to Lunch.

_...figures._

"Why would I do a thing like that? You've seen me... you didn't run this time... all's right with the world..." He lidded his eyes, the blue-green seeming even more intense than usual. Reaching up, he began to unbutton the shirt.

"Nnn..." Ed traced the vein in Havoc's neck with the tip of his tongue, hands sliding beneath his shirt and over his shoulders to expose the skin under fabric. Light nips and licks trailed down, along his collarbone slowly, following down with each release of a button.

"Ahhh..." Havoc arched up into the youth's touch, purring deep in his throat.

Affection, desire, want, need, trust... all those and more shone in burning blue-green eyes.

Golden eyes flicked up to look at Havoc's face as Ed's tongue slowly traced the center line down between firm abs, dipping into the curve of his navel to curl back out and up again. Fingers glided over dampened skin with a feather light touch, down Havoc's sides, and Edward brushed his lips over a pert nipple, teeth grazing gently against skin.

"Nnnngg..." Try as he might, he couldn't form coherent words, much less coherent thought. His massively oversensitive body luxuriated in the sensuous treatment, but it was wreaking havoc on his ability to think.

Edward sat up then, after pushing Havoc's shirt down around his elbows, and stretched out of his own shirt, tossing it aside. His hands rested for only a moment on the older man's shoulders before trailing down to rub all the way down his sides as Ed leaned over again, capturing his mouth with his own. Hands running along well-muscled arms, Ed didn't even notice when he slid one leg in between Havoc's thighs during the kiss.

A soft whimpering moan escaped Havoc's throat, even as his hands twined possessively through Ed's hair.

A sparkle of lavender flitted across golden irises, quickly hidden behind closed eyes, Ed's control slipping for a fraction of a second upon hearing those sounds as his hips rocked slightly, eliciting moans from both parties and breaking the kiss, though their mouths were still close enough to almost touch.

Havoc circled his arms around Ed's neck, gently biting into his shoulder. "Mine..." he whispered.

Edward groaned slightly and nibbled on Havoc's ear. "Nnn...yeah..." he purred, nipping not quite so lightly just beneath his ear, hands sliding down Havoc's body, thumbs hooking under the waistband of military pants and tugging lightly.

Havoc let his head fall back, a soft sound sighing out.

_Whatever you want... and I'll just ask you for more... _

Ed slid backwards slightly, sitting on Jean's knees, (Hmm...oddly familiar, isn't it?) and lightly brushing his right hand across the fabric of his pants, undoing the clasp and zipper in one swift movement.

He reached back then, tugging off his and Havoc's boots and tossing them aside before leaning back down and tugging again at the pants, nipping affectionately at Havoc's hipbone. Ed's tongue traveled back from there up his abdomen, distracting while he removed the other's pants.

Slightly cool automail fingers danced back up Havoc's left leg, along the underside of a calf, towards the inside of a bare thigh, cutting off before it got too close, teasingly. Edward moved down again, pausing to nibble just below Havoc's navel as his braid fell over his shoulder, the tip of it brushing right there.

Havoc arched at the teasing touch, baring long sharp teeth at the pleasure of it.

"Goddamn... little... gopher..." he managed. Barely.

"Don't see you doing anything about it..." Ed purred in response, violet flecked golden eyes taking in the lean, tanned body beneath him, tongue darting out to lick at his lips in anticipation at how utterly _edible_ Jean looked right now..._ gods!_

His human hand reached up, trailing ever so lightly down Havoc's side, following the subtle arch of his back. Automail fingers slid back upwards, settling at the small of Havoc's back, gently supporting his hips just slightly off the floor as his other hand dipped beneath the last thing that kept Jean from open air.

Lithe fingers ghosted tauntingly close, only to flit away again before reaching their supposed target, moving back to tug down lightly on the fabric to reveal another inch of tanned skin. Eyes half closed, Ed ran his tongue along the top of Havoc's hipbone, absently tugging the fabric down further as his eyes closed completely and he simply relished in the taste of Havoc's skin.

Havoc's breathing hitched, then nearly stopped altogether. Several incoherent thoughts swirled around his head, culminating in a helpless, breathy squeak.

It had been three years. Three long, very frustrating years.

Golden eyes peered lazily up through thick lashes and a sparse veil of scattered blond strands, a grin coming to Ed's face. Tugging the fabric down from around Jean's waist, he adjusted his position again, now straddling just above the other man's waist.

Edward smirked to himself as he leaned back to finish removing the garment, a firm, warm hardness pressing against his lower back due to his own movements. He tossed the article aside carelessly and sat back up, grinning down at Jean and scooting back just far enough for taut leather to brush against what his back had just seconds before and he groaned just slightly, increasingly aware of just how tight that leather was.

Two neurons managed to fire through the haze and Havoc's eyes snapped open. The blue-green in his eyes was only a thin ring around infinite black.

"Dammit Ed," he growled weakly, pulling the young man up for a fierce, possessive kiss. "If you want to screw me senseless, just do it! It's been three fucking years!" He bit into Ed's shoulder, not even bothering to be careful about his teeth, and moved his hips up.

Ed issued a sharp cry, pleasure mixed with pain as he felt sharp teeth pierce skin. He pulled back, vaguely registering the pain as teeth were not so gently removed from his shoulder, and he winced only shortly before unfastening his own pants and pulling them off.

There was a slight pause and Ed's eyelids fluttered momentarily as he felt the rush of air. Then he was pulling Havoc towards him, upright, kissing him like it was the first time and similarly the last.

He parted from Havoc's lips after a moment, panting, as he rolled off of the older man's lap to support his back against the wall, head tilted to the side slightly to look at the slightly feline, more than a hundred percent luscious, tanned body next to him.

"Equivalent... trade ... huh, Jean...?" A grin slid onto Edward's face as he absently licked his fingers to catch the faint hint of salt and the musky scent of arousal, looking at Havoc expectantly.

Havoc slithered up to Ed, facing him with a highly predatory look in his eyes. "Shove the whole alchemy bit," he advised, tongue running over the younger man's lower lip.

He dipped his head, licking away the little dribbles of blood running from the two marks in Ed's shoulder. As he did that, he ran his claws down from the teen's opposite shoulder to below his hip – lightly, not even leaving a mark on smooth skin.

"Force of-nnnh-habit..." Ed hissed in a breath, only to have it catch sharply at the sensation of claws raking down bare skin, arching into the touch as it went lower.

The golden braid that was normally so tidy had all but fallen apart now, wispy strands cascading down around his face, tickling his shoulders. Human hand twined fingers into short, tawny hair, automail tracing Havoc's spine as Edward dipped his head to bite gently at the elder's neck, licking over the slightly reddened flesh to soothe irritation away.

The more he felt these human sensations, the more Ed felt alive... and the more he was reminded that it had been three years... and that three years was a really, really long time... and oh god it felt so good to be held again like this!

Havoc purred happily at the hand running down his spine; he was human enough to know what the touch signified, but he was feline enough to enjoy being petted. Even if it wasn't exactly like being petted like a housecat...

He tucked his head into the curve of Ed's neck and shoulder, breathing deeply of the boy's unique scent.

Ed swallowed hard, tilting his head back against the wall. He shifted his position slightly, letting out a faint whimper as the hand on Havoc's head applied a gentle pressure urging him lower. The younger boy was doing all he could to be patient, but the aching in his groin was wearing his patience very thin.

Havoc ignored Ed's insistent urging, responding to a dim feeling of revenge. He kissed his way up the side of the boy's neck, then licking along Ed's jaw. "Magic word?"

"Nnnnnrghh!" Frustrated slightly, and reminiscent of a certain very very long train ride, Ed dipped his head to reach Havoc's lips, claiming them roughly before pulling away. "I'm a lot more skilled in the art of temptation now than I was then, Jean... I could do so many things to make you beg it's not even funny... but your old tactics won't work quite as well anymore, care to try something a bit more... bold?" Throughout his little speech, Ed's voice remained surprisingly calm, though tempting and coy.

Cool automail brushed lightly against the inside of Havoc's thigh, and then higher, a teasingly light touch that was gone in an instant. "Soo...do you want me or not, Jean...?" Ed purred.

Havoc grinned, rather cattishly. "You flatter yourself, Ed." His hand mimicked what the boy's did seconds earlier, though his stayed just a few moments longer. "I highly doubt that you could make me lose control..." He leaned closer. "As for wanting you... well..." His lips caught Ed's lightly and sweetly, a drastic departure from their earlier kisses.

Ed moaned softly against Havoc's lips, willpower all but melting away under the lingering touch.

"I'm-ah- not...nnnh...flattering myself-dammit- Jean..." Really, he wasn't...he could do those things if he wanted to...it was just that right now...he didn't really care...

"I'll take your word for it..." Havoc murmured, nipping lightly at the side of his neck. "But by all means, you're welcome to prove it."

Another brushing touch, and a hand running up the boy's back. But this time, he kept his hand there.

Edward reflexively arched his back away from the slightly cool touch, breath hitching in his throat as his skin rubbed against Havoc's other hand. "Jean, please..." He whispered breathily, more strongly reinforcing the plea with a downward push against the other man's head, automail fingers rubbing slowly up and down his spine.

The blond alchemist let out a slight whimper, barely rocking his hips.

Havoc's purr doubled in intensity, and it kept going as he obeyed Ed's silent plea. And it didn't let up.

Ed gasped and moaned slowly when Havoc complied, fingers further tangling themselves in his hair as his hips jerked forward of their own volition. "Nnnnngh... Jeannn..."

Havoc nipped the inside of the younger man's thigh lightly. His eyebrows lifted humorously. "You called?"

Edward shifted his hips just slightly, gritting his teeth to keep from thrusting forward when Havoc's cheek lightly pressed against that spot...damn it was hard not to just move and give up control to desire. "Please..." He said it again, voice barely in check and pleading with need and want.

Havoc lightly trailed fingertips (with the claws sheathed) down Ed's leg. "What about me?" he said, teasing. Honestly, he fully intended to give Ed what he wanted, but he didn't see why he should make it easy.

Shuddering at the lightness of the touch and the taunting tone in Havoc's voice, Ed swallowed forcefully and collected himself momentarily.

"You don't think... I wouldn't have already... thought about-" he hissed slightly, "-that... do you, Jean?" The younger's lips quirked into an awkward grin, as gold eyes gazed down listlessly at blue-green.

Havoc yawned slightly, a cat's way of showing disbelief. "I'm sure... Tell me, do you honestly have two functioning brain cells to rub together right now?"

Lazily, one claw slid out of a pad, and he gently tickled Ed's hip with it, keeping the skin unbroken. "And if you don't answer correctly..." he let the sentence hang, semi-ominously.

"Nnnnrrrgh..." Ed tried to be coherent... really... he just didn't do a very good job at it.

Instead of trying again, he simple let out a whimper.

"Good boy," Havoc purred, obviously amused. Having got the correct answer, he proceeded to fulfill Ed's... desires...

Any coherence that Ed had been trying to maintain simply melted away, lost in Havoc's mouth. He moaned, fingers tightening their grip in the other man's hair, subtle applications of pressure guiding his movements.

It wasn't long before Ed momentarily lost control and thrust into Jean's throat.

... follow your bliss, Ed.

There was a brief moment of searing clarity as sharp teeth grazed oversensitive skin and Edward yelped, reflexively yanking back on Jean's hair to pull his head back up.

Realizing his roughness, the young alchemist released his firm grip, gently massaging Jean's scalp with his fingertips as he used his automail hand to lift the man's chin. Head spinning with the even more demanding rush of desire, Ed leaned down and kissed Havoc passionately.

This time, he didn't just taste like cigarettes...

Pulling away and panting slightly, he managed to force out the words. "Turn around..."

Havoc shook his head minutely, trying to work out the strain involved in the abrupt whiplash. He obeyed Ed's order out of habit – he mind felt so fuzzy that it was doubtful he could think for himself.

With carefully controlled movements, Ed nudged Havoc forward onto his hands' support, rubbing his fingertips over the other man's shoulders and down his back, hands settling to hold his hips.

Pushing himself up onto his knees, Edward sidled up behind Jean, pressing into him as slowly as he could force himself to, so as to decrease the amount of pain it would cause. Hands gripped Havoc's hips tighter, biting his lower lip to keep from crying out at the sensation of being buried in such a tight heat that it made his head spin with giddiness and pleasure.

Havoc wiggled a bit at the half-remembered sensation. He hissed a bit, unused to the pain and wishing Ed would move his left hand just a few more inches to the right...

Swallowing hard, his entire body trembling faintly with anticipation, Ed pulled back out slowly, not quite all the way.

After pausing just a moment hovering on the edge, he entered again, fully this time, gradually setting an excruciatingly slow rhythm, groaning slightly. It was torturously slow, but remembering vaguely what happened the last time he caused Havoc pain, Ed opted to give the man time to relax before fucking him senseless.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	24. Downward Spiral of Insanity

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Downward Spiral of Insanity

* * *

** **Rating:** PG-13 (Mostly language, and gore)  
**Pairings: **HavocxEd  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **Noooooone!  
**Setting: **Train to Dublith and Izumi's house.  
**Timeline: **Day after smut. Heading to Izumi's house, at Izumi's house.

* * *

Havoc woke up some time later with a splitting headache and a tongue that felt like sandpaper. He groaned a little, wiggling to get the heavy lump off of him. 

Then he woke all the way up and realized what was sleeping on top of him, where he was, and why he was so dratted cold. And blushed bright red in embarrassment.

Shivering, the aforementioned 'lump' curled up into a tight ball, clinging to Havoc's arm in the process. "Nnngh..."

Havoc dithered for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to wake up the boy with minimal application of energy. Finally, he settled for tugging on the boy's hair. "Yo. Fullmetal."

A momentary lapse of thought, yes, but forgivable.

Said boy yowled, hands immediately flying to his head, which he rubbed furiously, one violet speckled golden eye peering open in annoyance. "What was that for!"

Havoc's brow furrowed. "Ed...? What's wrong with your eyes?"

He had caught a strange flicker in the boy's irises.

"Aa? It's bright...'s'all..." Ed sat up, stretching and rubbing his eyes.

"That's not what I meant," Havoc said mildly. "I may be colorblind, but not shade blind. There was very definitely something not amber in your eyes right then." He grimaced right after he said that.

Edward blinked, staring at Havoc. "What are you talking about, Jean? My eyes are perfectly fine! You're seeing things!"

But there were the violet flecks again, in both eyes, splotching across molten gold in the morning light.

Havoc's eyebrows reached nearly to his hairline. "You lie like a mattress, Ed. And don't insult my intelligence. Or have you never encountered an offended lion? You very definitely have some different color in your eyes – it's a slightly off shade that doesn't match.

"Don't think that because I can't see color doesn't mean that I can't see gradients. My eyesight's a lot keener than you could ever imagine." He stretched bonelessly, groaning as several small things in his back popped and snapped back into place. "So 'fess up, boy, otherwise I'm never going to stop pestering you." He opened one slit-pupiled eye. "And if I hear you say 'curiosity killed the cat', you're dead meat."

"I still don't know what you're talking about you know..." Ed huffed slightly, groping absently for his coat.

"Oh, well." Havoc creaked to his feet, grabbing the bits and pieces of his clothing. He began to get dressed. "Check in the mirror over there if you don't believe me," he said, nodding towards a little medicine chest mirror over on the far wall. The pants and boots were on, and he was buttoning up his shirt. "Are you still planning to go see Madame Izumi again?"

"I still need to talk to her about a lot of things... she understands it better than anybody else I know..." Ed yawned, pulling on various articles of clothing. After finishing clasping his boots he zipped up his pants, wincing as the mechanism caught a hair or two-he hadn't bothered with underwear. With a sigh he pulled on his black tank top, shortly followed by the jacket, coat slung over the bed as he combed his fingers through his hair to get out most of the big tangles before rebraiding it.

Finding himself at a loss for a hairtie, the blond alchemist huffed, clapping his hands together and transmuting a red tie off of his coat and tying the somewhat messy braid off. He walked past the mirror, only catching a glimpse of himself, but enough to make him stop dead in his tracks.

Slowly, Edward turned to face the mirror, rubbing his eyes and leaning closer, shock sweeping over his face. Oh, he was awake now, no question there.

In another moment, he'd backed up and tripped over onto the bed, curling into a fetal position and muttering words of disbelief.

Havoc blinked, dropping his new set of tags over his head. "Walk much?" He kicked up the mess of steel wire up onto his boot toe, balancing it for a few seconds before flipping it into the wastebasket. "What's up?"

"Uh..." Was Ed's only response, as he just lay there curled up, clutching at his shoulder.

Havoc drifted over and gently pried Ed's fingers up. "So there's the dog in the woodpile. Looks... unpleasant."

Violet flecked golden eyes turned with Ed's head to look distantly at Havoc. "Wha...?"

Havoc's eyebrow popped up again. "Way to verbalize kiddo. What the hell is wrong with you? Sit up straight, look me in the eye, and act like the military officer you are."

"Military... officer... am I really..." Ed sat up, looking at his hands, then absently rubbed his shoulder. "Fuck, Jean... I don't even know what I am... how... could I be one of them... they have no souls..."

"Bite me, figure of authority," Havoc snapped acidly. "I'm so glad you have such a high opinion of me." He raised his hand, then lowered it slowly. "If you hate us so much, just leave."

"Wh... no, not you, Jean... those... byproducts of human transmutation... soulless creatures with a body and a psyche... I can't be one of them... can't be... I have a soul, don't I!"

Havoc shrugged, biting at the bandages on his wrists. "I dunno. What's your definition of 'soul' anyway? If you're talking about the will to live, then every being has a soul. If you're talking about the ability to love, that's up to you. If that's the case, I'm not too sure that you've ever had a soul."

Ed froze for a moment, tears threatening to escape, but he willed them back and forced himself to stand, grabbing his coat and shoving it on. "I'm going to Izumi... you probably shouldn't come..." Pulling the coat more tightly about his frame, Ed walked towards the door, head downcast so that his bangs hid his eyes.

Havoc followed silently. "Major Elric, where you go, I go."

"I can order you to stay here, Jean, I don't want to but I can..." Edward walked out the door and into the hallway, heading for the main entrance.

Havoc grabbed Ed's hood, hauling him back against his body. "You may have been wrong about that soul part... you seem just as indecisive as a normal human. By the way, you may want to neaten up your hair if you go out in public."

Ed bit his lip before responding. "Do you even have a brush in here..."

Havoc dug through a pocket. "Here's a comb." He tapped it down on Ed's shoulder.

Edward clenched his fists, shoulders heaving once in a silent sob as the tears ran down his face again. He made no move to take the comb, or to walk away.

"Don't cry Ed," Havoc said gently. "I'm sorry that I said what I did. It's just that you keep going on about how you're such a monster and not worth anything. How do you think that makes me feel? If you're a monster, what does that make me? A machine built only for murder?

"That's what I am, you know. You were brought back because someone cared enough to yank you back. I was brought back because they needed someone able to hunt down the people who wiped out an entire platoon." He hugged the boy around the shoulders.

The boy shook again, choking out a half-audible sob as he leaned back against Jean. Ed tried to say something... but words failed him, and he simply let it all out.

"Shh... things will work out... it's not nearly as bad as it seems."

Slowly but surely the sobbing died down, when Ed found that no more tears would fall.

He'd been leaning heavily against Havoc, and the warmth was comforting... so different from how cold he'd felt since he came back... soon his mind was in a daze.

"Are you all right?"

Havoc didn't dare say anything else. Their relationship usually had several ups and downs, but never this many in one day.

He wondered why they always fought and carried on like this. Ed asked a stupid question or made a stupid comment and he responded with an equally stupid answer. It was always nerve-wracking to have to tiptoe around the youth's feelings to see if he was in a good mood or stuck in a well of self-pity.

Instinct and pride demanded that he pay back hit for hit and word for word. But whatever better nature he had (some would argue he had none) always persuaded him to bow down and take the blows as they came.

"Happy medium," he murmured, somewhat bitterly.

Edward reached up a bit weakly and wiped at his eyes, sniffling a bit. "Come on... let's go..." His human hand slipped slightly cold fingers through Jean's, giving a tight squeeze to the other man's hand. "I'll be alright..."

"We're not going anywhere until you blow your nose and comb your hair," Havoc said briskly. He snorted back a slightly hysterical giggle at the powerful resemblance to his own mother. "And when we get on the train, there are several things we need to discuss."

"I can take care of my hair on the train, Jean... and it's just a case of sniffles, I'll be fine..." Edward sighed slightly.

Havoc yanked out a handkerchief. "I'm sure. Take it and blow your nose."

Ed managed a half-smile, taking the cloth and appeasing the Lieutenant by blowing his nose into it, sniffing again. "Can we go now?"

"Sure. Let me grab my jacket and hat." He let go of Ed and turned around to go back into his room. "We can phone in at the train station in Dublith," he said over his shoulder.

"Nn..." Ed nodded, pulling his red coat tightly around his shoulders, as though it suddenly got colder in the room.

"Something wrong?" Havoc asked, coming out and settling his cap firmly over his ears. He adjusted the braiding on his jacket.

"Nn... I'm fine..." Edward shot Jean a somewhat weary smile. "You ready?"

"Yeah..." Havoc's eyes narrowed under the brim as he began to walk towards the massive foyer. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Jean... Don't worry so much..." Despite his insisted reassurance, Edward still leaned slightly against Havoc as they walked.

"If I didn't worry about you, who would?" he retorted. "You don't seem particularly inclined to."

They made it out the door, Havoc having to flash his military ID. Strangely enough, they had made it out completely unmolested by military personnel.

"Odd," Havoc murmured.

"Nn? What's odd?" Gold eyes flecked still with violet looked up at Jean questioningly.

"If I had sneaked out of the Medic Ward, I would have been mobbed by doctors. Now, no one pays me a second thought." He gave a strained smile. "Just like the good old days."

Ed managed a grin. "Guess I'm like your escort or something, ne?" He leaned against Jean again slightly.

Havoc slid an arm around Ed's shoulders. "I wish I had you in Ishbar the first time around. I left AWOL from more hospitals than I care to remember." He grinned faintly. "I kept running out so much that the old colonel of my battalion finally threw me in solitary. He told me I was on thirty-day detention because I refused to stay put and get better. I smarted off to him and he clobbered me across the face, putting me back in the hospital yet again. So I skived out again and joined up with my squad." He chuckled. "I was one hell of a terror back then."

"I would've held you down and kept you in there..." Ed grinned slightly at the thought, resting his head against Havoc's side.

"You probably would have – ouf!" Havoc tripped over a crack in the sidewalk, hitting the pavement painfully on one knee.

Having Jean's arm around him, Ed went down as well, automail elbow scraping the concrete and making sparks fly. Luckily he managed to keep any of his limbs from real damage, and he turned immediately to Havoc, crawling up to tend to his knee if need be.

"Owwww," Havoc hissed. "That's going to leave a bruise." He got up to his feet, wincing as something popped in his knee. "C'mon, kiddo. We have a train to catch." He offered his hand down to the boy.

"You okay?" Ed asked as he took the hand, pulling himself back up a bit shaken still from the sudden fall.

"Give me a little credit here – I've managed to walk away with worse injuries. It's just a bit of skin lost and some bruising." He began walking in the direction of the station, his stride just a little uneven from where he favored the one leg over the other.

Ed looked down, true, he knew how that could be, he'd done pretty much the same before... but it didn't stop him from worrying still. "Nn..."

"Don't worry. If it makes you feel better, I'll raid the Supply car again for some antiseptics when we get on the train."

Edward nodded, taking hold of Jean's hand as they walked, more to comfort himself than the other, though, as he gave it a light squeeze. "Nn..."

Havoc stopped, turning around and putting the back of his hand against Ed's forehead. "Are you okay? Usually you're a lot chattier than this." His blue-green eyes were worried.

"Just thinking is all... I'm fine I swear!" Ed pouted indignantly at the childlike treatment he was getting.

"So that's what that grinding noise is," Havoc remarked thoughtfully. "At first I thought it was an elderly car, then I thought it was the train. But I was wrong! It's just little Ed, trying to think."

A bubble of rage was surfacing in his chest, ready to pour out in a fit of nails, metal, teeth, and flailing limbs. But Edward settled at the moment for a seething glare.

Havoc grinned cheerfully. "Good. Now I know you're back to normal." He started walking again, the limp alternately clearing up and getting worse. "D'you mind telling me what you were thinking about?"

"No, but it doesn't mean I'm going to tell you even if I don't." Ed stole a glance at the torn knee of Havoc's uniform.

Havoc blinked. "Run that one by me again?" He caught Ed's glance down at his torn knee and decided to ignore it.

"I think I'll pass on that one..." Edward grinned lazily up at the sky.

Havoc tweaked the boy's ear affectionately. "You've never grown up out of being a little horror, y'know that?"

"I guess it's just the way I am!" Ed chuckled a bit, swatting absently at Havoc's head.

Havoc lazily caught Ed's wrist. "Glad to see you're so unrepentant."

Ed smiled, tiredness showing on his face again as he leaned once more against Havoc. "Are we almost there..."

"Yeah. You think you can manage the steps, Sleepless Wonder?"

"Oh hush... I got plenty of sleep! I'm not tired!" Ed protested, standing up on his own to prove it.

Havoc watched, amused, as the boy swayed a bit on his feet. "Right. Not tired at all."

"Sheddap..." Edward felt a bit lightheaded, and his vision swam for a moment before blacking out completely, his eyes closing as he swayed, falling against Havoc.

"Oh, for...!" Havoc's eyes flared for a minute, then he picked up the boy.

The conductor grinned sardonically. "Planning to go far, mate?"

"Yeah. Dublith. Put it on Major Edward Elric's tab. The Fullmetal Alchemist," he clarified at the blank look.

-

Edward stirred in Jean's arms, whimpering slightly as he opened his eyes to military blue, looking up to see the somewhat darkly outlined eyes of the Lieutenant. "Nn... what happened...?"

"You blacked out," Havoc told him.

"Nnngh...'s cold in here..." Ed shivered suddenly, wrapping his arms around Havoc's midsection and burying his face against the military jacket.

Havoc took off his cap. "Now I know you're sick. It's hotter than blue blazes in here."

Ed frowned, looking up at Jean again, the violet starting to fade from his eyes as he sat up, suddenly tugging at his collar. "Oh... it is getting a little hot..." The boy pulled off his coat, tossing it against the other seat.

"You're absolutely nuts," Havoc remarked, getting up to open a window. "I swear, you have multiple personalities."

Edward blinked again, leaning against Jean. "I don't know why it was so cold all of a sudden..."

"Whatever it was, just try not to faint on me again. You have to try to keep control over your body. What if that chimera assassin had popped up while you were out?"

"I-...sorry..." Ed looked down at his shoes, sighing slightly.

"Ed, look at me. I know you hate taking orders from me, and you probably don't like it very much when I say something that bursts your bubble. You have to learn to control these outbursts, you have to realize there are more people out there who are like me, and you have to realize there are plenty of people out there who want to kill you – whether for pay or because of a grudge. You can't let your guard down at all.

"Right now, I'm expendable. You're not. Granted, I'll probably end up fighting for you, and probably end up getting hurt pretty badly. That's the way the world works. But I can't protect you on my own. I need your help."

He sat back, waiting for the volatile little hellchild of Edward Elric to blow up in his face.

Wincing slightly at the tone of voice, Ed curled up on his side in the seat. "Sorry..."

His voice was relatively meek, especially for him.

"Ed, sit up and look at me. A stupid little 'I'm sorry' isn't enough anymore. You're nineteen years old, and you've been through things that I wouldn't experience in my nightmares. You're an adult now. Act like one!"

"I didn't ever get a chance to be a child, I'm taking my childhood now, thanks..." Edward curled up tighter, defiantly.

Quick as lightning, Havoc reached out and grabbed the front of Ed's coat, hauling him close.

"Wake UP, Major Elric!" he snarled right into the youth's face. His eyes glittered weirdly, and long, sharp fangs were bared ferally. "This isn't some game! This is a matter of life or death, both yours and mine! You can act like the spoiled little brat you are when this is finished and I'm either dead or retired!"

Edward sighed, shrugging off Havoc's hands and snatching his cloak back from the other side of the car, pulling it tightly around his shoulders with a shiver. "...'s cold... can't cope with this right now just give me time to sleep..." Weary, dull eyes looked at Havoc through half-closed lids, fatigue obvious.

Rage boiled behind Havoc's catlike eyes. "Dammit, Ed!" he roared, slamming his fist into the partition. "I don't know why I care, but maybe I shouldn't!"

He got up, entire body tense, and left the compartment, slamming the door so hard that little cracks spider webbed through the laminated wood.

Edward curled back up again, whimpering slightly, as he let the tears run out of his dull amber eyes and soak the seat. He lay there still, not sure if he was really alive then... aside from the throbbing pain in his chest.

Stupid little gopher, Havoc thought bitterly, rubbing his temples hard. He wasn't trying to soothe away any headache. He was forcing one on himself, just to prove that he was human and could feel the pain.

Going outside the car, he climbed up top, perching on the roof and letting the wind caress him.

"Why does he have to ignore me?" he said to the sun. "Why do I have to scream and shout before I get a reaction? Why do I have to say things I don't mean?"

The boy inside huddled under what little warmth his red coat gave him, shivering like mad as violet crept across golden irises and he whimpered pathetically, tears making him only that much colder.

Havoc watched the greyscape fly past, sadly watching normal life go by.

Normal. He and Ed certainly weren't normal. Havoc himself couldn't even cry anymore.

A passing tree branch nicked his cheek, and blood trickled down like a tear.

The only thing that reminded Ed that he must be alive was the pain in his chest, his heart ached... horribly...

_Why is it so cold... _

Havoc dropped down to go back in their compartment, but not to apologize. This time, Ed had to apologize.

He opened the door, limping slightly and eyes colder than flint. He stood over the boy, watching him.

The warm draft into the room went unnoticed as anything other than another burst of cold air against Edward's skin, and he shivered again, curling into a tighter ball against the icy cold he felt around himself.

Havoc closed the window. "Wake up, Elric. You're having a nightmare."

Edward cringed at the words, but other than that didn't move. "I wish it was a nightmare..."

"Suit yourself. I'm going to Supply to get some bandages and antiseptic. And a change of clothing." He limped back out.

Edward reached out suddenly, stumbling off of the seat and dropping his coat in the process as he got to his feet a bit shakily and followed. "I'm sorry... I... don't know what's happening to me..."

"Well, I hope you'll be able to find out what the hell's wrong with you and fix it. It's getting on my nerves," he said, voice curt. He didn't look back.

With that remark, Ed clutched his shoulders, sliding down the wall of the nearest compartment divider and to the floor of the aisle. "I..."

Havoc half-turned towards the boy. "You what? You want forgiveness, absolution, absolvement? I'm sorry, not this time. I'm not going to knuckle under and give up anymore. You have to find your way through this, not ignore it like you have been." His face was hard, but there was a tiny glimmer of compassion in his slit-pupiled eyes.

"I... Oh, god... Jean I don't feel so good... I..." Edward's sentence was cut off as his eyes clenched shut and he promptly emptied his stomach of its contents right in the middle of the aisle.

Perhaps the more horrifying sight wasn't Ed at the time, but rather what was in that messy bile...

A violet eye stared up at Havoc from the pile, goop dripping sickeningly away from its pupil to reveal the bloodshot mass of white substance and the red tangle of veins. Edward cupped a hand over his mouth, eyes still tightly shut against the searing pain in his throat that threatened to rise again at any moment.

Havoc blinked twice, horrified and revolted. Then his over-loaded brain short circuited and he passed out.

The dizzying sickness in his gut caused Ed's brain to wretch suddenly, and before he could open his eyes to see the sickening mess that he'd spewed up, he was out of consciousness, slumped against the wall.

In a matter of moments, a gurgling sound had come from the sickly little mess that was on the floor, and it was gone as well, acidic contents apparently having eaten through the floor of the compartment and depositing somewhere far back on the tracks.

Military instinct came back and Havoc managed to wake himself up. He dug claws into the wall, dragging himself up by inches.

"Not sick my ass," he retorted, turning around. And promptly fell over. "What the hell was that!"

Edward groaned, slowly coming to as one violet eye and one gold looked a bit hazily at Havoc. "Nnngh...?"

"I think I'm seriously disturbed," Havoc told the young man frankly. "And I think I need a cigarette." He got up and wobbled his way to the door closest to Supply. "I'm certainly not going to ask you what the fuck just happened."

Ed coughed wretchedly for a minute, and simply lapsed back into unconsciousness, too weak to keep himself upright.

Deciding that it was a decent place for the kid for a few minutes, Havoc popped in and out of the car, grabbing Ed and hauling the boy and his goodies back to the compartment and locked the door. Still seriously disturbed.

Trying to ignore it for a few minutes, he began to clean his knee.

Edward suddenly shot up in the seat, having been just seconds away from screaming his lungs out at the searing pain that threatened to rip him apart. Slowly his breathing returned to normal, as wide eyes, one violet and one gold, stared ahead.

"Ed, it's all right," Havoc said gently. "The nightmare's over..." Under his breath, he added, "for now..." He scooped up a few painkillers. "Do you need these?"

Ed nearly jumped out his skin when Havoc spoke, slowly calming down and shaking his head to the painkillers. "I... I'll be fine... thanks..."

"You sure? You said you weren't sick, and look at what happened. I'm disinclined to believe you right now."

He divested himself of the jacket. "You're not going to suddenly go screaming around like a monkey, are you?"

"No... I won't... I don't know what came over me..." Edward pulled his coat around his shoulders tightly, sighing. "You shouldn't have come..."

"Excuse me?" He unbuttoned his shirt, tossing it onto the discarded jacket. "Am I hearing a hint of martyrdom in your voice?"

He grabbed a clean, thin cotton shirt, slipping it on and beginning to do up the buttons. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you didn't like me anymore."

"I... sorry... I just... think I needed to do this alone..." Ed brought his knees up to his chest, pointedly trying to avoid looking at Havoc while he changed.

"Riiiight. Letting you run off into the sunset without so much as a goodbye? I may be a thick, insensitive clod, but I'm not stupid.

"Besides, who's going to take care of you if I don't?"

Havoc slid out of military-blue pants into brown wool ones.

Ed finally stole a glance at Havoc, smiling a bit wearily. "Always have to make it hard for me to mope alone, don't you?"

"That's what I'm here for." Havoc tied a black silk string tie under the collar, adjusting it so that it rode comfortably. He slid on the brown suit jacket. "How do I look?"

Edward winced visibly, cringing as the image shot into his brain from the other side.

_Am I...dying? _

Tears suddenly leaked out of violet and gold eyes, and Ed looked down, fists clenched tightly.

"Ed...? What's wrong?" Havoc got up, sitting next to the boy. "Something I said?"

"It's... nothing just..." Ed shook his head, closing his eyes. "Just something I remembered..."

Tugging lightly on Havoc's tie, the younger boy pulled him into a gentle kiss.

_No... you're going back... where you belong... to be alive... _

"Don't lie to me, Ed," Havoc said, voice rough. "It was something I said."

He gently disentangled himself. Putting his hands on Ed's shoulders, he said, "Look. I don't know what's going on, but I'd like you to tell me. Something's wrong, and I want to know what."

"It might've been something you said but it wasn't something you said here..." One violet eye and one gold looked up at Havoc.

"The other side and the gate won't leave me alone..."

Havoc sighed heavily. He passed his hand over his face. "I – there's really nothing more I can say. I've said it all, haven't I?" He rubbed his temples tiredly. "I'm getting too old for this."

"You don't have to say anything..." Edward shot a cold glance at Havoc. "And one more crack about being old and I'll have you wear a collar for a week..." There was a hint of an amused grin.

"Good lord, not a collar," Havoc said sarcastically. "That'd make all your dreams come true, wouldn't it."

"Maybe back then..." Edward mused slightly, tracing the slight point of Havoc's ear with his fingertip.

Havoc scooted back, out of reach. "You sure recover quick." Honestly, he was wary of such a recovery.

"I know... it's weird... it worries me, to be honest..." Ed scooted closer again, tilting his head slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Besides the fact that one part of me is scared out of his wits and I'm backed into a corner?"

Edward stopped his advancement, sitting there on the seat like a hurt puppy. "Honestly, Jean... you're not the only one who's scared of me right now..."

"I'd hope not! I may hauk up hairballs, but you're hauking up eyeballs! That's enough to make anyone slightly panicky." He eyed Ed warily, waiting to see how that comment went over.

"What? I what!" Ed stared in idle shock after the comment sunk in.

"You. Threw. Up. An. Eyeball." He nodded towards Ed's face. "Creepiest damn thing I ever saw in my life. Probably explains why one of your eyes is a different shade than the other."

"It is!? I DID!?" Ed suddenly felt the urge to vomit again, stomach giving an awful wretch. He clutched his gut, doubling over with a pained wince.

"NOT IN THE COMPARTMENT!" Havoc yelled, unlocking the door. "If you throw up, do it outside. I don't want acid eating through the floor in here!"

"Nngh!" Ed winced again, collapsing on the floor of the compartment with a pathetic little whimper. "What's... h-happening... to m-me..!"

"Why the hell are you asking me? You're the alchemist, I'm just the experiment!"

Ed groaned, shivering, as a bluish white light crackled up around his body for a moment, then died down. "I... it's... cold..."

A memory from his leonine half shot up like a bullet – the feeling of being helpless as frightening blue-white lightning consumed his consciousness, stinging like the kiss of a mamba, burning like the plains fires, the soft, slow kiss of death wearing destiny's cloak...

Havoc pressed himself back against the wall, whimpering slightly.

Edward just huddled there, cringing every so often amidst shivers, it was cold... cold like death and they were coming for him again...

Havoc reached across the seats, grabbing his discarded uniform jacket and threw it at Ed. "Wake up, Major, before we both go insane!"

"I am awake... I think I am..." Edward pulled the jacket around his shoulders, inhaling the scent of smoke and calming slightly.

"Do me a favor and don't ever do that again," Havoc growled, stepping over the boy to get the pack of cigarettes and lighter that he had filched out of Army Supply.

"I'm sorry... really..." Ed whimpered, not knowing just what he'd done to cause that kind of reaction, though he curled up tighter in the coat.

"Just stop apologizing, all right?" He lighted a cigarette, inhaling gratefully. "I don't care if you're sorry or not! I care that these little outbursts are physically and mentally debilitating to the both of us, and could get us killed!"

A tiny whimper was all that came out of Ed for a good five minutes, before he dared to speak up again.

"I think... when I'm around you... I just get... scared... that I might lose you... and the fear takes over..."

"You're not going to lose me," Havoc said gently. "Well... we both run a very possible risk of me dying," he amended. "But I can withstand a lot more now – I won't go that easily. So stop being afraid. If anything, it'll make my life harder."

"I guess I just can't help it... I keep... seeing the other side before... and..." Edward shivered again. "Keep me warm... please..."

Havoc knelt down, putting his arms around the boy. "Just promise me that you'll think over what I've said, all right? I don't want to have lost my temper at you for absolutely no reason." He unbraided Ed's messy hair. "I thought you were going to fix your hair on the train," he said, gently kidding.

"Nn... I did say that, didn't I..." Edward let out a half-hearted chuckle, leaning into Havoc and feeling the warmth that radiated from the other man's body. "I promise I'll think about it..." He sighed gently.

"I guess that's as good as I'm going to get, isn't it?" He began working his fingers through the boy's hair, using his claws like a brush. "Good lord, man, do rats nest in your hair?"

"Dunno... you're the one with your fingers in it... you tell me..." Ed snuggled up against Havoc a bit more.

Havoc's fingers snagged at a particularly tough tangle. He picked through it, trying to smooth it out without hurting the boy.

The boy winced slightly, tensing up at the slightly painful tug, but relaxing again as it came undone.

"You're awfully quiet," Havoc murmured.

"Nn... don't have anything to say..." Edward sighed again, burying his face in Havoc's jacket.

Havoc shrugged. "All right." He began to braid Ed's hair, neatly, quickly and professionally.

Havoc's fingers in his hair were soothing... and Edward soon felt the haze of drowsiness fall over his thoughts and start to drag him down.

Havoc held the drowsy boy in his arms, feeling a little tired himself. He was stressed from all the occurrences of that day, and his knee was beginning to hurt a lot. He let his head fall back and his eyes close.

Edward sleepily found himself wrapping his arms around Jean's waist once more, supporting the older man as well as being supported, as the haze of sleep finally took over.

Havoc's eyes closed all the way and he slid off into darkness.

-

Edward awoke to the sound of a whistle blowing loudly through his dreams, and the hazy voice of a man yelling 'Dublith! Last call for Dublith! Dublith, all off! Next stop, Bomu!"

"Nn... Jean... 's time to go..." He rubbed at his eyes drowsily and yawned.

Havoc snapped awake, grabbed his stuff and sprinted for the door. "How long was I asleep!"

"Ack, I don't know! Hey! Wait for me!" The previously tired braided blond was out the door in a few seconds flat, darting after Jean.

Izumi watched the train carefully, looking for a blond alchemist in a red coat to come tumbling out. Colonel Mustang had phoned her earlier to inform her that the little bundle'o'trouble was headed her way.

Havoc was first off the train, followed shortly momentarily by Edward, in all of his red-coated, blond-braided, newly restored nineteen-year-old glory.

Havoc felt a powerful fist connect with his solar plexus, and he flew backwards, bouncing ingloriously off the train's siding.

"WOOOOF!"

Izumi realized, a bit belatedly, that the man she had just belted wasn't Ed. Oh, well.

"EDWARD ELRIC!"

Said braided alchemist skidded to a stop, eyes wide and staring at Havoc slumped against the train, jaw agape. Slowly his head turned towards the voice that had yelled his name, only to be met with an astoundingly hard blow to the jaw, causing him to follow his appointed 'bodyguard' into the side of the train with a sickening THUD.

"You miserable, scapegrace little terror! What the hell have you been doing!" Izumi roared at the prone teenager.

To the stunned man in the brown suit, she offered her hand and her apologies. "I'm Izumi Curtis. You are...?"

"Fizz..." Havoc could hardly breathe. Damn, Ed's teacher was scary!

Ed coughed, hacking up a bit of flesh and nearly losing his ability to string together coherent thought, before Izumi-mode sank in. "Being dead? Does that count?" He really shouldn't have said that... Al would get such the beating...

Izumi froze dead in her tracks, unable to believe what she just heard out of her former student's mouth. She hauled Ed up by the front of his jacket. "What?"

"It's the reason I came here in the first place... I suppose Al hasn't kept in contact with you at all then if you didn't know..." Edward lifted his hands to pull down the coat and shirt underneath to show the red as blood array drawn on his left shoulder. "Not dead anymore though.."

Shocked beyond her worst nightmares, Izumi let Ed drop. "Young man, I think you need to explain yourself." The sight of that array disturbed her deeply, but she couldn't think why. "Come, on let's go to the shop." She noticed Ed's escort get to his feet, and gave him a hand. Then she noticed something quite odd. "You – you're a chimera, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am." He dusted himself off, his chest creaking slightly. "Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc, cat of the military, at your service." He wasn't quite fond of how his voice came out as a breathy squeak, but that would go away soon.

Pulling the cloth back up to cover his shoulder again, Ed joined the others, briefly squeezing Jean's hand, despite his downward gaze. The simpleness of the gesture spoke volumes, though.

'I need you...to help me get through this...'

Havoc squeezed Ed's hand back. "I've been basically drafted as Major Elric's bodyguard for the time being. If you would be so kind as to put up with me as well as the Major, I would be grateful." He flashed a winning smile. "I don't bite."

In spite of her worry, Izumi smiled back. "I think we can manage to find a cubbyhole for you, Lieutenant. If you'll follow me." She turned on her heel and moved off.

Edward's hand slipped free of Havoc's, as he slowly trodded after his former teacher.

Havoc limped after the two alchemists, feeling like the rear-end of a freak parade – an insane alchemy teacher, a freak of alchemy, and a freak of nature. Just what he wanted out of life.

He growled at himself. Why was he thinking such mean things?

"Come on, you two. We don't have all day." Izumi was worried stiff, and that made her even more abrupt than usual. "Hurry up, Ed, otherwise you'll be doing laps around Dublith."

"Yes, Teacher..." Ed picked up the pace, still staring at his shoes as he walked.

After a few tense minutes, they finally arrived at her home. The boys were out on a fishing expedition, so they would have relative privacy to discuss exactly what was going on.

Havoc's instincts tingled as soon as they got into the house. "Well... I'll go upstairs and disappear for a while," he said quietly. "I doubt I'll be of any help right now."

Edward shot a glance at Havoc, eyes wide for a moment as if to say 'you're going to leave me?'

Havoc looked levelly back at the anxious boy, his thoughts clearly written on his face.

'Do you really think that I'd be of any help?'

Edward bit his lip, two-toned eyes still gazing back.

'I need you...'

Havoc put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "You'll be fine," he whispered. "Izumi's truly worried about you. And, odd as it seems, she really does care about you." He made to go upstairs.

"Lieutenant, would you mind staying down here?" Izumi called from the kitchen. "And do you want a cup of coffee or tea?"

With those words ringing in his ears, Ed grabbed Havoc's hand, dragging him back to the kitchen stubbornly.

'You're going to stay whether you think it's necessary or not!'

Somewhat bemused by the turn of events, Havoc allowed himself to be dragged into the homey kitchen. "Coffee would be fine. Black, preferably."

Izumi set down the carafe on the small kitchen table. "We have pumpkin bread and nutbread, so help yourself." She got out two mugs and a glass, filling the glass with water.

Edward absently nibbled on a heel of pumpkin bread, leaning slightly against Havoc in the process.

"All right, Ed, Lieutenant. Take a seat, and I want to know exactly what's happening."

"Where to begin..." Ed continued to nibble absently at the bread, not really tasting it.

Izumi snapped a towel at the back of the boy's head. "Don't be flip with me young man. Do what I've always told you to do – start at the beginning and finish at the end." She sat down across from the chimera and her former student. "Omit anything that doesn't have to do with what you are."

"Ow! Careful with that thing!" Ed rubbed the back of his head slightly. "I died, three years ago...I've been living on the other side for those past three years, Al brought me back. I don't know how."

Izumi felt really old for the first time in her life, and she knew she looked it. "Al read Dante's books. He had to have.

"I don't think Al knew what he was doing. It looks like it was a knee-jerk reaction to your death, just like what you did for your mother." She rested her forehead in her hand.

"Did I really teach you two that badly? All these theories, these hypotheses, these postulates. You know why they haven't been proven? It's because no reaction of that magnitude or type has ever been pulled off completely. Something always goes wrong." She looked levelly at her former student through her fingers. "For you... I think that your body's unstable. You're caught between three places and your physiology isn't strong enough to withstand the constant three-way tug. And your mind probably isn't stable enough to handle whatever's being thrown at you, either."

Edward leaned more heavily against Havoc now, sighing with a pained grin. _Knows me too well...there's teacher for you..._"I don't know what Al lost though... it doesn't appear as though he's lost anything... it's worrying me..."

Izumi shrugged. "I don't know either. He hasn't spoken to me in weeks. He asked me for access to what I salvaged of Dante's library, and I haven't seen him since.

"Remember, Ed: What's lost doesn't always have to be seen or touched. There are lots of things people can lose that aren't tangible."

"I know..." The braided boy set down the half-eaten heel of bread. "That's what worries me most..."

Izumi nodded. "You should be. There's nothing really that we can do right now, seeing as none of us knows where he is. But you... you look a little pale. Are you feeling all right?"

"I'm fine... just... just a little tired is all..." Edward shuddered at a cold breeze that only he felt, subconsciously leaning more against Jean.

"Don't lie to me," she said. "Get yourself a glass of pickle juice and go upstairs and lie down for a bit. I'll call you for supper."

Knowing better than to defy Izumi's orders, Edward nodded solemnly and went to the fridge to pour said glass, sipping idly at it as he trudged upstairs.

"Pickle juice?" Havoc asked, quirking a small grin.

"It fixes everything except a broken heart," Izumi said, smiling a little herself. "And I'm sorry."

"What for?" Havoc asked, smiling sunnily. "You haven't done anything to me yet."

"I'm sorry for decking you like I did. I mistook your for Ed. Sometimes, pain is the only way to get that boy to listen."

"I know." Havoc sipped his coffee appreciatively. "But I honestly wonder about how hard it is for him. When he was fighting with me, he made a very good point: I had never seen the 'Gate' and I didn't know what it was like to be pulled constantly back and forth between here and there."

Izumi sighed. "I think his main problem is essentially three things. One, he's in denial about a great many things. Two, you've become a chimera, which he's always regarded as an inferior life form, no matter how perfect. Three..." Here she sighed again, sipping her coffee. "He's become something he's always hated and feared."

"A homunculus."

"In a manner of speaking, yes. He can't be a true homunculus – one eye is still amber, he apparently doesn't need to consume the Red Stone, and I don't think he has an Oroburous symbol. I think what his brother used to pull him back was a fusion between soul transmutation and human transmutation."

"What makes you think that? I know about the array thing on his back –" he winced at the memory, "but is that really enough?"

"I don't know. I'm sure you've noticed how his eyes flicker from amber to violet when he's in the grip of any strong emotion. That indicates homunculus. But the array you've mentioned is something else entirely." She rested her forearms on her thighs, cradling the mug in her hands. "Bear in mind, Lieutenant, I'm just guessing on most of this. I don't know what Alphonse did, and I don't want to know, quite frankly."

"Are mood swings a possible byproduct of it?"

"I'd say that's just him being in shock. He wants one thing, the Other Side wants something else, he can't reconcile the two." She paused for a minute. "I think what we're dealing with is something as close to the perfect bringing back of the dead that humans can do."

"The younger Elric is certainly the Miracle Alchemist," Havoc murmured.

"But even Edward is flawed," she reminded him. "Alchemists can make a chimera with perfect recollection of his past life and just a few minor visual clues as to abnormality while retaining superior power. It's just a matter of combining two minds, two bodies, and two instincts, with the human being most prominent. But bringing back the dead..." She shook her head sadly. "In pulling the soul back from the Other Side, essential things are lost. Some things are added, but I doubt they're very good – memories of the coldness, the eyes, the loneliness." She met him eye for eye. "The Edward we knew three years ago is dead. He is almost the Edward that would have been here if he hadn't died, but a good part of his core personality is gone. Leeched out by the world transference. I don't think what Alphonse did was a kindness. The dead are supposed to stay dead."

"But now that he's back, we can't let him die," Havoc argued.

"I know. Perhaps... maybe this is too much to ask from anyone, but maybe if he stayed around those he was close to three years ago, he'd regain some of what made him Edward."

"That may not work," Havoc said soberly. "We've changed too much. All of us. Things have gotten grimmer, and we can't afford to let ourselves get used to each other again. There's a war brewing, and we're either going to be dead by the time it's over, or hurt very, very badly." He struggled for a minute. "Given my druthers, I'd rather keep Ed in a safe place until all of this blows over, but I can't. He won't let me, Central won't let me, and I can't let myself do it because it'd be telling him that I have no faith in him. And I can't do that. Not to Ed."

Izumi smiled briefly. "You're a good man, Jean Havoc. And you," she said, turning around to glare at the steps, "are eavesdropping. Didn't I tell you to go upstairs and get some sleep?" Her scowl got just the tiniest fraction more frightening. "How long have you been there?"

There was a clattering crash as Ed toppled down the rest of the stairs, rubbing his head in pain. He hissed a bit at the bump forming on his head and one gold, one violet eye stared helplessly at Izumi. "Eheh... sorry?"

"Ed, how much did you hear?" Havoc asked hopelessly, swiveling to look at the scapegrace major.

"All of it..." The trodden boy got to his feet, slipping into the chair next to Havoc and curling his knees to his chest. "Sorry..."

The maniacal light popped back into Izumi's eyes. "Sorry? Sorry! You little fool, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Nothing at all..." Ed sat there, awaiting the inevitable beating he was about to get.

Izumi rubbed her temples. "I don't know what to do with you, Ed. You're nineteen years old. You should know better."

Sensing impending doom, Havoc got up. "I think I'll go take a walk," he announced.

There was a sharp tugging on Havoc's sleeve that warned of worse were he to leave now.

"Ed, go with him. Maybe he can knock some sense into that thick skull of yours. Besides, I need to get started on supper."

Ed looked at Izumi with a mild shock, then turned to Jean, standing and leaning against him slightly. "Nn.." He nodded.

Havoc made good his escape.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Ed stumbled out of the house after Havoc, soft curses strung out under his breath.

"I can't move that fast, kid. I think I screwed up something in my knee." Havoc was limping noticeably now, favoring his left leg. He winced.

"Sit down." Ed's words left no room for question. "Right here."

"Nah. I'll just walk it off."

Ed wasn't going to let that slide. "You might be my bodyguard but I still outrank you. Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc that is an order sit your ass down NOW!"

Havoc turned around and leveled a finger at the boy. "Give me five good reasons why I shouldn't pound you into pulp for pulling rank on me."

"I'm still your superior, I CARE, you're HURT, I'm tired of you treating me like a little kid, and I'm sick and tired of the fact that the only person you care to even show the proper authority is Mustang!" Ed spat back, frustration in his voice.

Pent-up frustration and anger exploded violently. But it wasn't directed at an inanimate object or himself.

With two quick steps, he lashed out, hitting Ed across the face with the back of his right hand. "I'll start showing you proper respect when you start acting like an adult!" he snarled, his voice sounding like an enraged lion's growl.

Edward took the blow in full, staggering back against a light post to steady himself. The man could hit hard, that was a given. But he deserved it...

The blond alchemist didn't even say a word.

Havoc stood there, chest heaving, shock scrawled across his leonoid features. He'd just struck a superior officer... and damn, it felt good!

Staggering up straight again and wiping a tiny trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, Ed simply grinned. "I'm surprised you hadn't gotten up the guts to do it sooner, Jean... Hell knows you should have..." There was a bit of bitterness in his voice, but if you looked close enough, you could tell that it was false.

Havoc looked up warily, tensed to run like hell. "I'm not sure I follow, sir."

"Cut the bullshit Jean, we're beyond 'sir' here, if we weren't, you'd be euthanized by now and you know it..." A flicker of violet shot through his still-golden eye.

"Fine, then. Ed, what the hell are you saying? That you wanted me to belt you one? God knows you needed it, with you acting like you have. But..."

"How else am I supposed to know that this isn't just some bad dream? What goes around comes around, and so far none of it's come quite all the way around... I needed it..."

Havoc smiled shyly. "I think we're in agreement there."

"Gonna deck me again, eh, Jean?" Ed tilted his head a bit. "Didn't get this side yet, I'll give ya a clean shot..."

Now the Lieutenant grinned. "I'll take a rain check on that one. Who knows, you might piss me off again."

"Feel free to take it anytime..." Shadows flickered in front of Ed's eyes but he tried to pay them no heed.

Havoc turned on his heel and began to limp off. "Remember, Ed. While we're here, you ask me as a friend. Don't order me around." He waved a hand idly. "Remember, I'm more than capable of causing more serious bodily harm."

"Yeah... Then in that case get your injured ass back here and lemme check out that knee..." Edward grinned outwardly, but inside he could hardly manage a grimace.

"Ehhh... do I have to? I'm here now." Havoc put his hands on his hips. "It's probably nothing more than severe bruising, anyway."

"That's enough for me to worry about either way, Jean, I'll come there you just have to promise me to sit. Now." Ed slowly made his way up to Havoc.

With a capitulating sigh, Havoc plunked down. With a groan, he stretched out the leg in question. "Damn, I am getting old."

"What did I tell you about those old comments..." One violet eye and one gold snapped up to meet Havoc's as he knelt beside the man, pulling up the leg of his pants to observe the damage.

Havoc grinned ruefully. "I had hoped you were joking."

"I might have to just take myself up on it though..." There was a hint of a playful grin as Ed pressed carefully against the bruised and scraped knee. "Tell me where it hurts..."

Havoc yowled as soon as the slightest pressure was put on his knee. "There," he said weakly.

"Nn... just bruising, eh?" Ed lifted Havoc's leg, carefully letting it bend at the knee. "Does that hurt as well?"

"A little. Not as much as when there's pressure on it."

"Hnn... Can you move it with full range yourself with minimal pain?" Edward prodded a bit at the underside.

"Define 'minimal'," he said with a grimace. "It's fine until I stand."

"Perhaps bruised... possibly sprained... You should still stay off of it for a while and rest... It's not a good idea to further injure it as it is..." Ed ripped the bottom of his coat to make a makeshift bandage. "And you should really clean it...it's looking infected..." Clapping his hands, he wet the rag with some water vapor from the air, and dabbed at the scratches.

He hissed. "Dammit, Ed, just leave well enough alone. I'll be fine."

"I have the right to be worried, don't I Jean?" Edward paused, looking up at Havoc again.

"Well... yes..." He fell silent, wrangling with his pride and his respect for the boy.

"You're not unbreakable... and I worry because I care..." Ed sighed, wrapping his arms around Havoc's shoulders and pulling the man into a hug. "You'll put me too high on your priorities and end up getting yourself hurt because of it... and then I'll just feel guilty..."

"Ed, I've never been high on my list of priorities. What I have to do for other people is more important than what I have to do for myself. That's why I'm a soldier." He stroked Ed's hair. "I don't want to lose you. That's why I push so hard."

"Whether or not I wanted to be I've been forced into the role of a soldier myself... After all this, I'd say it'd be hard not to call myself one.. The military is more my home than home itself, but I'll push right back if you think you're going to sacrifice yourself in my stead, I'm not worth it..." Ed closed his eyes, holding the other man closer.

"Don't devalue yourself. You're worth as many shots at life as I can give you. You're still young; you have a chance to change your life, to retire and become something else." His own arms tightened.

"I'm old, you know. Too old: I reached peak performance years ago. I really shouldn't be out on the front lines anymore.

"I've made my living killing people for over a decade, ever since I was a little younger than yourself. It's only justice that I get killed fighting for you."

"Not if I can help it... I'd never forgive myself..."

Hah... you're crying again Ed... you baby...

"It would be an honor to die like that..." Havoc's voice was dreamy. "Fighting to protect someone I love. No... that's not a bad way to go at all... and everyone has to go at some point or another. I'll fight like hell to stay alive, but when I die, just let me stay dead. That's all I ask for."

"I'm not making that mistake again, you can trust me on that..." Ed nuzzled his head against Havoc's neck, sighing again.

"Good. I don't want to be like someone's plaything, yanked across who knows where and beyond."

"I wouldn't wish this kind of a life on you or anybody..." How long had they been sitting there? Edward couldn't help but wonder.

"We should probably start heading back to your teacher's place," Havoc said, voice slightly rueful. "Dinner's probably done, and the sun's beginning to set."

"Now I remember the real reason I didn't want you to come along..." Ed pulled back, smiling a bit ruefully himself. "She'll always be home you know..."

"Yknow..." he started thoughtfully. "Even though she whaled us pretty good on the platform, I think right now she's too worried about you to think about doing anything. Much too worried. Help me up, will you?"

Ed got up, chuckling a bit to himself, and extended a hand to help Havoc up. "Promise me you'll stay off of that leg until it gets better? I'll bring you meals in bed..." He smiled a bit mischievously.

"You? Bring me meals in bed? Good lord, no." He shook his head, smiling, remembering the last encounter with food, Ed, and himself.

He started off, his limp even worse.

"Hey! I said take it easy! Stay off that leg, dammit!" Ed hooked Havoc's arm over his shoulders to act as a support. "I'll make you stay in that bed even if I have to transmute you into it, Jean... and despite the fact that I know that would be extremely kinky..." His voice trailed off.

"This before or after you put me in the collar?" Havoc said humorously. He let Ed 'support' him, but kept his weight on his own feet. He hated being helped like that.

"Hmm... I'll have to think about that..." Ed grinned, leaning a bit against Jean despite being there to support him.

"I was kidding, Ed. Kidding!"

Edward chuckled a bit in response. "I'll let you sit at the table tonight, but after that it's up to bed, okay?" Perhaps he had ulterior motives...

"It most certainly is not!" Havoc said indignantly. "What about my duty?"

"I'll stay with you if you're that insistent about duty, Jean..." Ed practically purred.

"Er..." He wasn't quite sure how to answer that. They arrived on the stoop of Izumi's kitchen door. "Why don't we discuss this later?"

"Fine by me..." Ed grinned and opened the door. "After you?"

"Fine..." He stepped in, only to be greeted by a bustling Izumi.

"Food's on the stove, kids," she said, carrying a stack of books.

Knowingly, Ed idled past Havoc, making to set a place for himself and Havoc and serve whilst his teacher busied herself with other things.

"Oh, and Ed? If you need me, I'll be in my study." Her face was black with wrath. "I'm doing the research your brother didn't do. Hopefully, I'll have you back to close to normal in a few weeks." She disappeared, and closed the door to her study behind her.

Ed shuddered at the look on his teacher's face. "Scary..." He busied himself, finally sitting down and getting to his food.

"You know, your teacher is one supremely scary woman," Havoc remarked, still standing.

"Sit down and eat already..." Ed managed after swallowing the mouthful of food he had.

"You haven't seen scary yet..."

Havoc moved slowly and painfully to sit down. He stared listlessly at his plate. "Not hungry, really..." He poked through it. There wasn't enough meat to feed a stuffed lion, really...

He frowned. Now, where did that thought come from?

Eyeing Havoc's idle prodding, Ed finally got the hint and stood up, moving to the fridge and pulling out a barely cold ham that seemed to have been put there recently. "Nn.." He said through a mouthful of potatoes, tossing the ham to Jean as he went back to his seat.

"I told you, I'm not hungry," Havoc repeated. Not even the ham looked good in this state.

_What you want is an animal fresh from the kill, still twitching, still bloody and warm..._

He got up abruptly, revolted by his thoughts. "I'm going to go upstairs," he said in a strained voice.

Ed stopped in mid chew, swallowing what he had in his mouth and sighing, putting the meat back in the fridge before Izumi freaked for him leaving it out. "You alright?"

"No," he replied shortly. "I'm hearing voices and I suddenly have an urge to hunt and kill my own food. No, I'm not all right."

"Maybe you should get some sleep...?" Ed didn't really know what to think of it, he knew it was no doubt the lion's instincts trying to take over, he just didn't know what to do. "Let's get you upstairs then..." He stood up and made to follow Jean.

"No, don't follow me. That's probably not too good of an idea right now." He winced at a twinge from his leg. "Just tell me where the antiseptics and bandages are. I can fend for myself..."

The 'I think' wasn't spoken, but understood.

Stubborn as he was, Ed wasn't going to let up. "I can take care of myself, you know..." He walked up to Havoc and gave him one of those 'I'm not letting you go off alone' looks.

Havoc sighed. "Fine."

He began to slowly climb the stairs, wincing every time he put his weight on his knee.

"I'm tempted to carry you, you know... I don't like that wincing... maybe you should just sit down for a minute..." Ed placed a hand on Havoc's shoulder warily.

"I'll be okay, Ed. I'll sit down when we get to wherever you're going to stuff me for the night." He made it to the top of the staircase, breathing a quiet sigh of relief. "See? That didn't kill me."

"Alright fine..." Ed huffed, steering Jean into the room just right of the staircase.

Once inside, he closed the door, pulling back the sheets and turning on the bedside lamp. Pulling up a chair, Ed took a small book out of the beside table drawer and sat down, slipping on a pair of reading glasses and opening the book to the marked page.

Havoc blinked. "Hey. You mind telling me where the antiseptics are?"

"Nn? Oh... right... you sit down on the bed I'll get them." Edward stood, setting down his book and shuffling to the bathroom to get some supplies.

Havoc sat down, discarding his jacket and tie. He unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt.

_Why the hell are you mothering me, Ed?_

Ed came back a minute later with the antiseptics, a damp washcloth, and some fresh bandages, as well as antibiotic cream, and set the materials on the bed next to Havoc. "Something the matter?" He noted the slightly miffed expression on the Lieutenant's face.

"It's nothing." He kicked off his boots, rolled up the pant leg and blanched. "Strike that. I'm going to have to lance my knee."

Ed frowned. "Just some minor bruising, hm? Off with the pants, I'll get some more towels... and a blade, I hope you don't plan on using your claws for that..." He stood, running his fingers through his loose bangs and sighing as he headed for the door.

Havoc bit the tip of his tongue, chuckling at Ed. "However did you guess?" he murmured, ignoring the order to get rid of his trousers.

Returning from downstairs with a small knife and some more towels, Edward took a seat across from Havoc. "You don't want me to have to transmute them off do you?" He made to clap his hands.

Havoc grabbed a roll of bandaging, bouncing it expertly off Ed's forehead. "Please. I can do this with my trousers on."

He placed a towel over his thigh, close to the festered injury. Taking the knife, he lanced the wound quickly, squeezing out the pus. When it had seeped onto the towel, he folded the soiled cloth into another towel and liberally spread antiseptics and antibiotics over the cuts. He bound the mess neatly with another roll of bandages.

"See?"

Ed sighed again, wishing he hadn't stared at the procedure as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Fine..." He took the supplies and moved them to the bedside table. "Going to sleep now?"

"I wasn't particularly planning on it, but if Mother insists..." He cocked his head. "You look vaguely disturbed."

Trying to hide his worry, Ed smiled, unconvincingly. "I'll be fine... and don't call me 'Mother'... That disturbs me when I keep having thoughts of you in bed you know..." He frowned.

Havoc rubbed the scar on the left side of his neck. "What's up?"

"Nothing..." Ed pointedly averted Havoc's gaze, attempting to appear lost in the book he had been reading previously, pushing up his glasses a bit.

Havoc reached over, gently sliding the glasses off the young man's face. "Ed, tell me. Something's obviously disturbed you. I'd like to know what it is."

Pouting, the alchemist squirmed in his seat a bit. "I don't know, Jean, I just..." Ed paused, not quite sure what to finish that with.

Havoc folded the glasses, putting them on the bedside table. "You just what?" He began to unbutton his cuffs, fumbling slightly with the right-hand one. "What's wrong?"

Edward whined slightly, he knew Izumi's study was directly downstairs from this room, too, and that made it worse..."I..."

Having finally triumphed over the stubborn button, Havoc rolled back his sleeves. "You're not making any sense."

Ed sighed. "I know that..." He stood, pacing around to the other side of the bed and sitting on the edge. "Feeling a little better?"

"Yeah. I think the infection was what was making it so painful to walk. The pus and swelling would have been pressing against a lot of nerves and muscles in there." He stretched, his back cracking. "I'm going to lance it again in the morning, just in case."

"Ah..." Ed stretched as well, kicking off his boots and tossing his coat somewhere across the room, before the jacket soon followed.

That action was followed by a yawn and another stretch, before he flopped down on the bed and curled up under the sheets, back to Havoc.

Havoc ran a hand through his hair. "You know, Ed, you still haven't answered me as to why you looked like you'd just swallowed a slug after I bandaged my knee."

"It's nothing, don't dwell on it so much... get some sleep or something..." Ed tried to wave it off as though he were tired, pulling the covers up under his chin.

"I have the right to be worried, don't I, Ed?"

Edward cringed. "Stop using my words against me, dammit..." He sat up, spinning around to bombard Jean with a full-on glare.

Havoc smiled sweetly. "So you're allowed to pester me, but I'm not allowed to pester you? Is that what you're saying?"

On pure whim, Edward tugged at Havoc's shirt collar, pulling him closer to press his lips into the hollow of the other man's neck, eyelashes brushing faintly against his cheeks as he moved upwards, nibbling lightly on Jean's lower lip.

Havoc stiffened in surprise. He attempted to peel the boy off, but Ed had a death-grip on his collar.

Moving along Havoc's jaw line to lightly tease the scars at his neck, Ed sighed. "Is it my fault I can't get enough of you?"

"At least warn me when you're going to pull something like this." Despite his grumbling, his head moved aside and back.

"I tried... do you have any idea how hard it is to hold back despite knowing that Teacher would kill me for doing this here?" Ed whined, looking into Jean's eyes.

Havoc smirked. "Then don't do it."

"Do you have any idea how loud my conscience is screaming at me not to?" Edward pulled back, curling onto his side of the bed again and whimpering.

"So that's what that tiny voice is..." Havoc grabbed a pillow. "I guess I'm sleeping on the floor."

"No you're not... come here dammit!" Ed gave up on trying and rolled over, pulling Jean down into a fiercely hungry kiss, a tear running down his cheek.

_I'm sorry..._

Havoc grunted as Ed's action forced his lower lip against one of his canines. It wasn't really the pain that bothered him, just the influx of blood that nearly made him choke.

_Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this?_

Sputtering slightly, Ed pulled back, instinctively flinching and curling up, faint traces of blood still on his lips. "S-sorry..."

Havoc coughed, trying to get the blood out of his windpipe. He scrubbed his lips with the back of his hand, a bright streak of red left from knuckle to wrist. "I swear I'm going to file down my teeth sometime!"

"Sorry..." Ed's voice was weak and small, as he continued to inwardly curse himself and his lack of control.

Havoc smacked his pillow down over Ed's head. "For crying out loud, it's not your fault! Neither of us can help it if I have abnormally long and sharp teeth!"

"But I should be able to at least control myself!" Edward snatched the pillow and hugged it tightly to his chest, looking teary-eyed at Jean.

"You've never really been good at control," Havoc pointed out. "Witness when I call you 'a short, little, mutated peanut from hell.'"

"I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S A SHORT LITTLE MUTATED PEANUT FROM HELL!" Edward promptly tackled Havoc in a momentary fit of rage.

Havoc started laughing, fending the boy off. "See what I mean?"

Izumi looked up at the screech of rage that emanated from Ed's room. She shrugged. Someone had probably insulted someone else. No real surprise there. Though, if they continued to carry on like that for more than an hour, she'd have to give both of the boys some of her Special Punishment.

"Shut up!" Ed couldn't help but laugh at himself for still flying off the handle like that, as he turned the sudden onslaught into a playful wrestling match.

Havoc found himself pinned underneath the alchemist. He grinned up at the young man. "Truce, then?"

"Maybe..." Ed grinned. "What's in it for me?"

Havoc yoinked Ed's braid. "Me not calling you names. Does that count?"

Ed winced. "Hey! Don't DO that!" He grinned playfully down at Havoc. "What else?"

The older man pondered for a minute. Hitting inspiration, he tugged Ed's head down, kissing him lightly. "That?"

"Hmm..." Ed pondered for a moment, licking his lips. "Will there be more of 'that'?"

"What's in it for me?" Havoc parroted.

"You scratch my back I'll scratch yours..." Ed leaned down and kissed Havoc again.

"Glad to see we're in agreement."

"Funny...I swear you've said that before in a similar situation..." Ed shoved the thought aside and instead proceeded to lay plaintive nips along Havoc's jaw and down his neck to his collarbone.

"So?" Havoc tugged the boy's head up, engaging him in a fierce kiss.

"Nn..." Ed willingly submitted, hands already moving to unbutton the rest of Havoc's shirt.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	25. White Fire

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**White Fire

* * *

** **Rating:**R (OMGSEXAGAIN!)  
**Pairings: **HavocxEd  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers: **Noooooone!  
**Setting: **Izumi's house.  
**Timeline: **Yay! More smut!

* * *

Havoc purred as cool air touched bare skin. He tugged the tie out of Ed's hair. "Having fun?" 

Ed nipped at Havoc's lower lip, shaking his head a bit to loosen his hair from its braided confines to let it spill over his shoulders.

He moved down, lips trailing first the vein in Havoc's neck, then his sternum, then down the middle of his chest and abdomen, leaving light nips and licks as he savored the salty taste of skin.

"You're too addictive, you know that..."

"M'mm..." He arched a bit, enjoying the sensations. His hands twined through silky blond hair.

"Nn... maybe it's because...-" Ed swirled his tongue around Havoc's navel and then dipped in. "-you smoke so much...-" He easily unfastened Havoc's pants, tugging down lightly as he licked along an exposed hipbone. "-that you've started to perspire nicotine... Heh..." One violet and one gold eye looked up from where he was at Jean's face. "That's how addictive you are to me..."

"Nyrgggh..." Havoc suddenly remembered something. Wrenching himself over onto his stomach, he reached down to his suit jacket, fumbling through the pocket. He pulled out a pistol and shoulder holster, tossing them up onto the bedside table.

_Nearly forgot..._ His brain fuzzed out again.

Ed leaned back a bit, still tugging at Havoc's pants. "Neh... Turn back over... and help me with these damn things...!"

Havoc peered over his shoulder, smiling cattishly. "Why should I? This is quite comfortable..."

"Your loss if you don't..." Ed managed to wrench Havoc's pants down despite the fact that the man wouldn't even make it easier. "I've got no problem with not repaying the favor..."

Havoc rolled back over, his eyebrows lifted. "Rather determined tonight, aren't you?" He supported himself on one elbow, circling the other around the young man's neck and pulling him down for a kiss.

"Nnn..." Ed pulled back, hands sliding down Havoc's body, past his hips, taking the cloth with them. "Maybe.."

"Ah..." Havoc arched at the quick, gentle touches. "M'mm... yes..."

His brain had completely fritzed out at that point, the leonine half content to just bask in the sensations.

Edward moved to position himself between Havoc's legs, hands skirting his sides and moving to settle at the small of his back.

At first the licks were tentative, feather light against taut, heated skin. Soon, however, lips joined tongue, and not long after, Ed gave a vivid presentation as to just how addictive Havoc was.

Havoc fell back bonelessly, pure pleasure sparking up his nerves. Breath coming in long, shallow gasps.

Lithe fingers ghosted over whatever he could touch of Ed.

Ed went slowly at first, sucking gently at the tip and then moving down, lightly grazing his teeth against Havoc's skin and moaning, his own desire rising with each tiny sound that he coaxed from the man beneath him. His left hand moved to caress the base, and he chuckled lightly when Havoc jerked his hips, forcing him to swallow further, and he did, quickening his pace.

He pulled up a bit, teasing the tip with his tongue before taking in the full length again, automail hand moving to hold down Havoc's hip to keep him from him from making choking thrusts. Blond hair clung damply to Ed's forehead and the back of his neck, and he started to slow again to a torturous pace, keeping Havoc on the edge.

Havoc gritted his teeth, body demanding satisfaction. But he wouldn't beg for it.

One strong hand knotted into a sheet, the other twining through the young man's cornsilk hair, brushing the strands away from his hip. The cold automail holding him down only increased the sense of pleasurable agony.

He bit his lower lip until it bled, trying to hold back a small, pathetic moan.

Ed's movements slowed to an idle, lazy crawl, before he lifted his head completely, eyes focused on Havoc as his tongue trailed behind, a thin band of saliva trailing even after, and then snapping as he licked his lips.

His right hand moved, as he shifted his position, sliding up next to Havoc to claim a salty kiss, left hand still idly stroking.

Havoc's breathing stopped altogether, his entire body tensing. So close...

A soft moan purred out of his throat.

Edward nuzzled his face into the crook of Havoc's neck, grinning. "Not yet..." he purred against him, strokes lighter and lighter as he purposefully coaxed Havoc away from the edge, so he'd last long enough in what would follow. "This was my torture in the first place... think you're ready to take me now?" The boy grinned, eyes glittering.

"Goddamn... little... gopher..." Havoc growled out, frustrated. "What... nnggh... do you think!"

"I think that I want you lasting long enough to get me off..." Ed idly ran his fingertips up and down hard, wet skin.

Havoc knocked his hand away. "Then get off and strip down, boy."

Typically, Ed would've made a spectacle of stripping, but the suddenly very intense throbbing in his groin made him prefer the short and sweet method. Off as fast as possible, back into Jean's arms, get fucked senseless. Not like he wasn't bordering on senseless already.

"In a bit of a rush?" Havoc said teasingly, positioning Ed just right. He ran a calloused fingertip down the young man's spine. "... can't think why you would be..."

He pressed in, slowly at first, waiting to see Ed's reaction.

Yes. Yes it had most definitely been a while... Perhaps a bit too long, Ed mused, biting his lip to the point of drawing blood at the pain, body instantly tensing against intrusion despite his will to the contrary. Automail and human hands alike gripped the sheets tightly until his knuckles were white, but he gradually adjusted and relaxed, breathing a bit more evenly.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" Havoc said, voice a low, pleasant murmur. It was so tight, so warm, and god he wanted to just throw his head back and howl.

Instead, he contented himself with beginning to slowly move back.

"Hhhhnggh... I'll be fine just fuck me already!" Ed hissed over his shoulder, breath slightly ragged.

"Your wish, my command," Havoc said cheerfully.

He moved back in. Hard. And kept at it, moving with a swift and brutal rhythm.

"Nnnnnhhgod!" Ed clenched the sheets tighter, back arching against Havoc's thrusts automatically. Whimpered moans and gasps escaped from his throat each time Havoc thrust just right and hit that spot, white flashing before his eyes as he clenched his eyes shut, fighting hard not to scream at the near constant jolts of white fire that shot up his spine and through his stomach, only fueling the ache and throb in his groin.

Havoc growled low in his throat, instincts taking over. He could feel perspiration sheening over his shoulders and chest, feel the writhing boy beneath him... but it wasn't enough. He wanted to hear the boy cry out again.

He continued, just that much harsher than before.

"Hhh...h...hh-hurts..!" Ed choked out, some primitive portion of his brain still functioning in FEARIZUMI!mode as he fought to keep quiet, squeaks and gasped moans surpassing his efforts. Finally he gave up on trying to hold them in, burying his face in the sheets to muffle the hoarse cries.

Havoc slowed, realizing his cruelty. He paused only briefly to bestow a light kiss on the back of the boy's neck and whisper, "Sorry..."

He picked up again, though gentler than before.

Edward turned his head to the side, whispering a slightly garbled response, before that was cut off by a short wave of little pleasure noises as he arched his back again, pressing back harder against Jean, the pressure eliciting a rather loud moan. Louder than he'd meant to be, but by now his Izumimode was starting to give up on its fight for acknowledgement and implimentation.

"Nnnngh... please... Jean... nnhahh... mooorrrre..."

Havoc willingly complied, moving fractionally harder and faster, His right hand slid down and over a few inches, 'just happening' to brush by the tip.

A pleading moan escaped Ed's throat at that brushing touch, along with a barely choked out whispering breath that carried the word 'yes...' as his body jerked at the sensation.

_So close...oh god...not yet...don't make it end yet..._

He could feel the heat coursing through his veins, heart pounding in his ears, warmth he only felt in the arms of two men... the only warmth he felt... Edward didn't want it to be over again so soon, but he knew that the peak was near and there was no stopping it.

His lip was caught between sharp teeth, even as his own breath came hard and fast. As hard as it was, Havoc had to let Ed come first.

Ed came first, Ed always came first, it was just the way the world worked... damn enjoyable though...

His hand kept stroking the young man, driving him closer to the edge.

The combination of stroke and thrust finally threw Ed off the edge. He buried his face in the sheets to drown out the majority of the sounds that completely involuntarily offered themselves up, not even waiting for him to answer before scurrying on out in a frantic, drawn out wave muffled into the sheet as white flashes exploded behind his eyelids and waves of pleasure washed over him, entire body going rigid as he found his release.

For those few moments, Edward soared.

Havoc collapsed gracelessly onto the bed, pleasure still singing through him. After a few minutes of a coma-like state, he yawned contentedly, pleasurably sleepy.

He somehow managed to worm his way bonelessly under the coverlet. Curling up in the manner of a kitten, he yawned again.

Ed whimpered slightly as Jean pulled away, muscles moving his body close and wrapping his arms around Jean's waist purely out of the need for physical contact and warmth. He didn't feel like he would've been able to move at all otherwise, exhausted and feeling as if every bone in his body had just decided to melt.

"M'mm.. get your sleep, kiddo. We're waking up early tomorrow morning..." He yawned again, stretching almost painfully, several bones in his body popping and cracking. After that was done, he curled up, snugging the young man close.

"Nnn...'s cold..." Ed pulled up the covers, curling into more of a ball against Havoc.

"Nn... Hey... Jean...?"

Havoc fought off drowsiness. His eyelids felt too heavy. "M'hm?"

Ed's voice was barely above a whisper, the last thing even he registered before drifting off into slumber.

"I love you..."

Havoc laid his head down, pulling the boy closer. "I know..."

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	26. The one They Called Fawkes

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**The one They Called Fawkes****

* * *

**

**Rating:** PG-13 (Implications, language)  
**Pairings:** HavocxRoy, RoyxEd, HavocxEd implications  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers:** Noooooone!  
**Setting:** Central Headquarters, Ishbar Outpost 1, known as Geriko by its inhabitants.  
**Timeline:** Ed and Havoc return from Dublith to Central, then are dragged out to Ishbar by a frantic Roy.

* * *

"Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc, reporting in at Southern Command. I request a line into my battalion headquarters." 

A slight pause where the hum and click of connection was painfully obvious.

Mustang's voice clacked a greeting. Havoc frowned, surprised. Usually, Hawkeye picked up the phone.

"Hullo, Colonel. Yes, I'm fine. Yes, I have the little terror with me. He's the one that pulled me out of the Medic Ward in the first place." He grinned at Ed's indignant squawk. "H'm? Oh, yeah. Command shuffled me into Special Ops. I'm now Major Elric's bodyguard – what? I guess they haven't made it public. Command seems to think Predator might go for Major Elric now."

_"-me on the phone dammit! Don't just talk about me like I'm not here and-" _

"Predator? That's the name of the group that attacked us out in the desert. Yes, I know. No – no, I don't. Command's already debriefed me. You could probably get a transcript if you asked –" Mustang said something, and all the blood drained from Havoc's face. "What? Sir, that's... No, I'm not denying... yes, I know... sir, I... Colonel, please. How did you find out? It's classified information on the skirmish in Ishbar – you weren't supposed to know until..." Mustang said something, and his face darkened. "Oh, really." Mustang confirmed his previous statement, adding a few details. "Saw me, then came running to you? That would explain a few things. No, we're back on speaking terms." He glared briefly over his shoulder. "But maybe not for long..."

There was a screech of protest in the background, along with the sound of something breaking.

Mustang interrupted him. Again, he blanched, even paler than before. "WHAT! Dear God, no... How? What? No marks? Sounds like the Major..." An epiphany struck. "Colonel, look. There's a woman with one arm running around in Central. Or was, I'm not sure. She may have escaped by now. But she's posing as a lieutenant colonel. She tried to kill Major Elric. It was just a kiss –" He smiled faintly at the nearly-audible growl. "But it was like he got hit with some type of poison. In fact she said something about an anti-venom serum...

"But she's not human, as you'd think of it. She's a viper chimera of some flavor, and now that I'm looking back on it, that's how Stanson died. Check the coroner's report for both Stanson and Hughes. If I'm right, the reports should look similar.

"And sir, if you see someone that looks vaguely off, or knows too much about the three of us, kill them... no, I'm not overreacting. There's four of them that I know of, and one of them is named Ashton Fawkes."

Havoc held the receiver away at the clatter and thud at the other end of the line, along with shouted obscenities and Hawkeye's calming voice. He frowned. "What the hell?"

Hawkeye's voice took up the receiver next, sounding a bit exasperated. "Sorry about the fuss, Second Lieutenant. No, he's fine… No, I just walked in-" she listened for a moment to Ed squawking on the other end of the phone, sighing. "You're expected back on the next train from Dublith, it leaves in half an hour, I suggest you hurry. The Colonel will meet you at headquarters."

Havoc grunted slightly after hearing a click, hanging up the receiver.

"Well? What the hell did he say!" Ed tapped his foot, glaring violet and gold at the chimera.

"We're to head back to Central on the next train out of here, leaves in half an hour so we'd better get going."

"I figured that much, I was talking about what the hell made you go so damn white!" Ed protested, stumbling after Havoc as the taller blond started to walk off. "Hey! Wait up dammit!"

Without missing a beat, Havoc tugged on the brim of his hat, pulling it down a bit. "We'll be paying our respects to the late Brigadier General Hughes when this is over…"

-

Roy was standing at the main doors of the headquarters, dark eyes focused on the gate ahead of him, waiting. His expression was set into the mask he usually wore, revealing nothing of the inner turmoil he felt at the moment, standing there in that crisp, impeccable uniform that, unfortunately, still bore the insignia of Colonel.

Straightening as he saw a car pull up, he watched as Jean Havoc stepped out and thanked the driver noncommittally. Roy swallowed the lump he didn't know had been in his throat, and braced himself to face what changes could have been so shocking that Edward had come running to his office in such a hysterical, frantic state.

Once Havoc was within fifteen feet of his person, Roy stiffened to attention in a respectful salute, knowing it wasn't necessary, but doing so just the same. Someone who had been through as much as Jean deserved it.

Havoc's eyebrows lifted up under the military cap when he saw his C.O. stiffly at attention. A smile quirked the corner of his mouth, though not so much as to reveal sharp teeth. He trusted Mustang not to run in panic at the sight of him, but he still wanted to keep at least _some_ illusion of normalcy.

These thoughts brought him a few paces away from the black-haired man, and he straightened to attention, saluting. "Sir."

Roy nodded, relaxing his posture, though still retaining the clipped military air about his actions. "At ease, Lieutenant... or have they changed your rank as well?"

Havoc's grin widened. "Hell, no. Even if they did, I'd be busted back to lieutenant inside a week." He tapped a patch on the sleeve of his uniform. "Though, they did stick me in the Special Operations Corps. I'm still under your command, just doing a different job." He shrugged comically. "Guess Command wanted to fob me off on someone else."

The familiar smirk crossed the Colonel's features. "I would've had strings pulled and you would've been back under my command within no more than twenty four hours after I learned of such a transfer if it were to occur, though... but you know that..."

Roy nodded slightly and turned. "We'll discuss the situation further in my office." He opened the doors, pausing to wait for a response. It was then that he finally noticed what felt odd...

"Where is Major Elric?"

The grin dropped right off the blond man's face. "He had some... problems on the train back. He's in Medical Ward now, but he'll be okay in a few hours." Havoc slid fluidly through the partially open door. "He told me to say 'don't worry, old man, you don't have to drag me back yet.' I'm assuming that means something to you?"

Mustang made no effort to hide his scowl. "Lieutenant Hawkeye should be along later, she's currently attending to matters of the canine variety. Let's go."

Without waiting, Roy stepped inside the headquarters, and began the walk to his office, not looking back.

Havoc gazed, puzzled, at the back of his C.O.'s head. Shrugging, he slipped off his cap and followed him, making a face at some random petty officer that had stopped to stare at his leonine features.

Roy made a meager attempt at casual conversation during the walk, 'how's it been,' and 'they giving you better cigarettes in Special Ops?', but it didn't last long. Upon reaching his office, Roy instantly dropped the mask, slumping wearily down on one of the couches with a heavy sigh.

The Colonel that had met Havoc outside and the Colonel that sat before him now were like night and day. Despite the obviously neat uniform and hair, Roy couldn't help but give the impression of disorderly stress, it was like the man had just crumbled under the weight of three years of hell.

Havoc leaned against a wall, arms folded. "Things don't look so good for you. I take it things have been rough in the administration section?"

"Every time I think it's going to smooth out again, something like this happens to fuck it all up... I'm not quite sure what to do right now..." Roy admitted, running his hands through his hair frustratedly and making it a bit of a mess. "Tell me again what happened..."

"Oh, god, where to begin. I guess you know the basics, beyond what I've told you. Routine guard duty sent to hell by a bunch of Ishbar rebels calling themselves 'Predator', or whatever the fuck they're saying here.

"I guess you also got the dispatch, didn't you? It's pretty much like what it said. We were minding our own business, a day or two..." he caught sight of the bloody letter on Mustang's desk and turned a peculiar shade of green. "Well. I guess you know that. I didn't think they'd send that on, but I guess I was wrong.

"Anyway, the diplomat that we were dealing with was a man by the name of Ashton Fawkes. Red hair, green eye, strange. Arrogant. I didn't like him one little bit." A pause. "He smokes, too, but it's even worse than what they give us here. But the thing that really weirds me out is that he's not even fully human. He's a chimera, too, though badly done. He has a tail and I think he's missing an eye..." His voice became pained. "He's the one that shot me twice through the left lung and left me to die –" He broke off at the look on Mustang's face. "Sir? What's wrong"

Roy had suddenly paled at the man's description, and had stopped rubbing his temples in favor of a blank, glazed stare ahead of him.

_Ashton Fawkes... smoker... red hair green eyes..._

"I... think I must be hearing things... I thought I just heard you say that this man's name was Ashton Fawkes..." Mustang still stared straight ahead. "No... not hearing things at all... it makes too much sense now..." His eyes suddenly narrowed and he scowled at the memory of that arrogant kid.

"Predator... He called himself the Predator Alchemist... Major Ashton Fawkes... that was nearly three years ago, I'd all but forgotten..." Clasping his hands, elbows on his knees, his mouth was hidden behind his folded hands. "Was there ever a long lapse in communication between the negotiators across the border? Long enough, say, for one to travel back here to Central and dig around a bit before going back?"

Roy neglected to mention the fact that the man had known about Edward's death, had warned him that he would lose others close to him if he wasn't careful. He neglected to mention that the man had seemed to know a little _too_ much about what was going on, and what would be happening. It wasn't important. Not now, anyway, Mustang thought. After all, he had the feeling that this Fawkes person had _meant_ for him to know these things.

The situation was dropped so plainly and unhidden right in front of his nose, hiding in plain sight, and he hadn't listened to it. Colonel Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist, was the fool here. If Ed had been around, or even Jean... They would've smelled the rat and gone at it with fangs and claws instead of continuing to feed it just what it wanted, thinking that perhaps it was a cat that needed shelter, rather than such a vile rodent.

Predator... The Predator Alchemist... Ashton Fawkes... Somehow Mustang knew that the man was smarter than that, wasn't stupid enough to so recklessly give out the same name and designation. No. The Predator had left openings on purpose. He _wanted_ them to find out... and damn it all if Roy and all the others hadn't been playing _right into his hands_!

"Three months and two days lapse, on average" Havoc said warily, still not quite sure what all was going on. "Sometimes for up to as long as six months. But that's normal, Mustang. Both parties still have to communicate with their governments or whatever." Something clicked. "Three years ago... he would only have had to have been here a few times – enough to take the examinations and to show up a few times to keep the illusion going. But he wasn't the one doing the real snooping. It was the viper woman. The lieutenant colonel."

His catlike eyes narrowed. He didn't like the direction this was going.

"We've been played for idiots. Whoever's pulling the strings here – and sure as anything it isn't us – _wants_ us to put certain select things together. Otherwise... why wouldn't they have made doubly sure that I was dead? I heard what happened to some of the dead: found in bits and pieces, eaten. Why didn't they do that to me? Why did they leave three survivors? Why did that woman tell me..." Another realization. "She must have put the serum there for me to find. Sir, there's too many inconsistencies with their behavior to be just a coincidence. It's almost like they _want_ us to know."

Mustang sighed, closing his eyes. "I'm well aware of that, Lieutenant... These people... they're not idiots... quite the contrary, however..." He shifted his position, leaning back on the couch again and turning his head to look at Havoc. "That worries me... because a man only does something like that if he's _well assured_ of his control over the situation, whether it be on his turf or the enemy's... We're dealing with something even greater than anything we've met before, my gut tells me that..." He sighed again.

"We know for a fact that the chimerae hiding out with the artificial human who calls himself Greed aren't much of a threat at all... after all, we know who created them, how they were created, what their limitations are..." Shifting again, Roy stood up, walking around the couch to place his hands on the back of it, seeming to suddenly be very angry with the wall opposing him. "Already these..._ creatures_... have done more damage than we had thought possible... They were unmistakeably bred to _kill_ and _only_ for that purpose..."

With a look of frustration, he turned to look at Jean again, eyes finally just taking in the subtle changes that three years and a transmutation had brought. "Obviously they're superweapons... but what makes them so much more deadly than those that came out of the fifth laboratory? Sure, they've got claws and fangs, but that shouldn't make that much of a difference... _What is it that makes them such perfect weapons?_"

"Chimerae are often called monsters," Havoc said reflectively. "In some cases, and I like to think my own case, they're wrong. We still have our feelings and our memories of who and what we used to love and our sanity. It's because we were made by someone who knew what they were doing." He looked down at his hand, unsheathing his claws. "These... _things_, really, aren't even remotely close to what someone could call perfect. They're inhuman, bonded with animals..." He smiled, somewhat bitter. "They're the perfect fighting machines because they're not perfect chimerae. They're ruthless, cunning, and cruel to a fault. They're horribly strong and quick. They have hardly any human emotions. They've lost whatever humanity they used to have.

"Some of their actions are intelligent, almost frighteningly so, but I think that someone's ordering them around." His mouth quirked up again. "After all, we can only attack once our masters have pointed."

"Don't you dare for a minute lump yourself with the likes of _them_, Jean..." There was a dangerous fire in Roy's eyes as his tone became harsh and angry.

The undertone of guilt or sorrow might have been there, it might not have.

He would have denied either one.

Havoc spread his arms. "Why shouldn't I? It's the _truth_. Deep down, all human chimerae are essentially the same. We're all monsters, pets, guard animals, pack animals, friends, bodyguards. Don't say that I'm not – it's no use lying to yourself or me. I'll allow that I still have my human emotions and they don't, but that doesn't erase the fact that the Fuhrer ordered me to be made as an answer to Predator. I was made to _kill_."

"Maybe you were _made_ for such intentions, Lieutenant, but you still retain a great deal of your humanity... and you most _definitely_ were not _born_ for such intentions."

"I'm a soldier before I'm a man," Havoc said quietly, looking Mustang straight in the eye. "I'll do what I was made to do before what I was born to do."

"Then keep living." Roy replied, flatly. "Don't you _dare_ die on me out there, that's an _order_."

"I wasn't planning on dying, sir." He gritted his teeth, needing to point out reality but still wondering how pissed-off he could make Mustang in the space of one hour. "But sometimes it just can't be helped."

The smirk was put in place, a glint in dark eyes. "Good." Roy turned, walking slowly to his desk and sitting down in the chair, reclining slightly. "Back to the situation at hand... This viper woman... one arm and white hair, you said? I believe I've seen her before..."

"When! Where?" From the urgent tone in his voice, it hardly needed to be said that the viper was first on Havoc's hit list. He was in front of Mustang's desk before he even realized it.

_She took your place in my office..._ Roy had the feeling that the truth would only worry his subordinate more.

"I'm not sure I remember when or where, Lieutenant. I simply remember that I did. After all, you don't see a dark skinned, armless, white-haired woman with an eyepatch very often..."

"Sir, I may be _color_blind, but I'm certainly not _blind,_" Havoc snapped. "You're lying."

At least he had intuitive subordinates, Mustang had to give himself that. Resignedly, he sighed, dark eyes looking up to meet Havoc's. "The Fuhrer assigned her to me in your place, Lieutenant... I wasn't at all fond of his decision, but you know what the stakes are, you know I couldn't refuse..."

"... my _god_," Havoc said, appalled. Feeling suddenly very woozy, he stumbled back, collapsing down onto the couch. "Dear god, that's how he knew..." He put his head in his hands.

Instinct had Roy up and around his desk before he knew it, sitting on the table in front of the couch and eyeing Havoc with a look that couldn't quite pass as placid. "There was nothing any of us could have done about it..."

"I should've realized it earlier, I should've warned you... now look at it. A hundred people are dead because I'm a stupid idiot."

Blue-green eyes shifted between pure sapphire and gold-flecked green in his confusion and guilt, the warring sides of his personality painfully evident.

Mustang's hands were suddenly gripping Havoc's shoulders almost painfully hard, dark eyes glaring into the shifting extremes as he leaned over the Lieutenant. "You couldn't do a damn thing about it and you _know_ that! _I_ couldn't have done a damn thing about it! Quit feeling sorry for yourself, Jean, it's not going to do anybody any good..."

Havoc snarled at the pain, eyes going completely green for one terrifying second. He brushed off the man easily, despite the powerful grip. "Don't _touch_ me!" he snarled ferally.

Roy straightened, settling his face into its usual mask, but not before the slightest of hurt, longing looks passed his eyes. "If you don't watch yourself, Lieutenant, you're going to lose your humanity..."

Havoc's eyes slid back into their normal blue-green. He rubbed a hand over his face. "You think I don't already know that? Trust me, when you have an urge to hunt and kill your own supper, you get the hint that your humanity's slipping.

"And... it's not that I mind being _touched_, it's just that my body really doesn't like pain of any degree."

No... he hadn't missed that look in Mustang's eyes, and he felt terrible for incurring it.

"I'm sorry, sir..."

"It's not like you can help it..." Roy muttered, dropping down on the couch next to Havoc. "It hurts, you know..."

Havoc leaned back, digging through his pockets. "Well... I think maybe I can help it, I just don't know how." He chuckled sourly, pulling out a half-used pack of cigarettes. "One hell of a chimera, aren't I? I want to be a human, but there's always those little annoying reminders that I'm not." He began the long and arduous search for his cigarette lighter.

"I'll probably iron out the little quirks sooner or later. I've only been like this for a month or so, and I haven't quite found out all the little tricks to control myself."

Roy held out one hand, fingers poised to snap. "Need a light?" The tone was friendly, different than the military attitude Roy usually kept up. He only showed this side to a select few people.

Havoc held out a cigarette. "Go for it."

There was a quick snap and a tiny flame sparked forth, igniting the end of the cigarette and swiftly vanishing again. The smell of raw flint lingered in the air, and Roy frowned at it, instead opting on leaning against Havoc, head resting on his shoulder as he sighed.

Havoc idly looked over at his C.O.'s messy tumble of black hair and grinned slightly. "Hey, you're going grey." He delicately began to pick through individual strands. "Not even forty and you're going silver. It is to laugh."

Mustang winced as Havoc plucked a single hair, sitting up immediately and shoving the other man rather roughly down on the couch, firm grip on the uniform jacket and a slightly predatory gleam in his eyes. "It's none of your concern, Lieutenant... and I assure you that I'm still perfectly well-balanced in _other_ areas of expertise..." That smirk was there, and the silky voice was almost purred.

Havoc smiled slightly, lidding blue-green cat eyes. "Never doubted it for a minute."

Roy sighed, gently cupping Havoc's cheek with one gloved hand, smiling slightly. "It's... been a long time..." His voice took on a certain regretful tone. "I only wish everything were the same as it was back then..."

Hawkeye rapped on the door twice, briskly- but having known the Colonel for as long as she had, and never one for too many formalities, she could afford to not wait for an answer. She paused only for a brief moment, shifting the folder of paperwork in her arms slightly, before reaching for the doorknob and unceremoniously pushing the door open.

Sharp eyes, accustomed to picking out targets hundreds of feet away with ease, took in the scene mere yards in front of her with speed. She blinked once, almost imperceptibly- but for someone who showed few reactions in the first place, it was quite an action. Her slight confusion was evident.

Upon hearing the knocks, Roy had suddenly frozen, and by the time Hawkeye had entered the room, he had barely snapped to his senses enough to stare with a look of sheer horror, expecting a bullet to be penetrating his skull at any moment.

Once the initial shock wore off, he managed to quickly regain his composure, sliding off the couch to stand and straighten his uniform before walking up to Hawkeye. "Lieutenant... I see you've returned..."

Havoc coughed demurely, not caring enough to feel any embarrassment. "Long time, no see, eh, Lieutenant?" He sat up, took a drag on his cigarette and waved cheerfully.

"Indeed, Lieutenant," she replied, fixing him with a level gaze- she was still too much in control of herself to warrant a glare- that demanded explanations. With one arm securely around the stack of papers, her other hand drifted lazily towards the ever-present holster at her side. Her eyes were still steadily boring into him, refusing to glance over at the flustered Flame Alchemist fidgeting off to the side.

Said alchemist paled slightly at the hand reaching for a holster, if it were even possible for Roy Mustang to get any paler, of course.

Havoc leaned back casually, running a hand through a slightly messy mop of hair. "I see you're just as touchy as ever." He squinted slightly. "That's an awful lot of paperwork..." He got smoothly to his feet, moving too fluidly to be comfortably human. "You want any help?"

She accepted the suggestion wordlessly, dropping the stack on top of the desk with a slight thud. She would let him evade the question for now- _for the colonel's sake,_ she repeated to herself, catching the dark circles under her superior's eyes- but she vowed that by the evening, when their work was done, she was not letting either of them leave the building without giving her answers. "Your help would be much appreciated, Lieutenant."

And if all else failed, she'd let Black Hayate- older but retaining the same boundless energy that was even more formidable than it had been when he was a puppy because of his current size- have a go at them.

A momentary dark gaze was sent in Riza's direction, its meaning clear. '_Thanks..._'

Running slightly shaky fingers through raven tangles of hair, Roy moved back to his desk. "Lieutenant Hawkeye... the files, if you would... and some coffee..."

"Sir." She acknowledged the command with a nod, performed what amounted to an about-face, and strode out of the room in the direction of the coffee machine.

But once out of sight around a corner, her composure slipped slightly and she glanced back at the door of the office almost wistfully. Then the moment passed, and her face was impassive again.

The Colonel reached out to pick up the first file in the stack, thumbing through it. "Hnn..." He mused to himself, moving on to the next file and thumbing through that as well, repeating the same pattern until he got about halfway down the stack and had just opened another file.

Leaving that open, he skimmed back in the other files, flipping one open and looking from one to the other, a growing look of horrific understanding on his face.

Everything happened in a second, and the next thing Havoc knew he was being carted out the door in quite a hurry, practically dragged by an unusually disturbed looking Roy Mustang.

"We have to get out of Central, no time to explain I'll do that on the way, where's Edward, we'll need to pick him up, don't bother bringing your things just _hurry up!_"

Havoc blinked, seizing on the only phrase he had picked up in the whole diatribe. "Elric's up in Medical Wing, Second Floor, Room 201." Then, when Roy had almost dragged him into the wall, he pulled his bruised wrist out of Mustang's grip, though he kept up with his panicky C.O. "Good god, man, what's wrong?"

"There's no _time!_" Roy hissed through his teeth, a vehement glare shot at his subordinate. "How fast can you sprint up there and get Major Elric back down here?"

"No idea," Havoc said, taking off his jacket and throwing it at Mustang. "Where do you want us to meet you?"

"Out front, I'll pull the car around..." With that, Roy headed off towards the entrance at a swift pace.

Havoc nodded, then took off at a full sprint. He was in the Medic Ward in a matter of minutes, then skidded to a halt in front of Ed's room. He shoved the door open.

More than just slightly bored, Edward was glad to see a familiar face, but the look on said face and the slight sense of panic in the air wasn't helping. "Jean? What's got you looking like that?"

"Damned if I knew," Havoc replied succinctly. "Mustang's in a panic, and he won't tell me what's wrong. Can you walk? Even better, can you run?"

"Of course I can!" The braided alchemist hopped up out of bed. "Thank god something finally happened so I can just _get out_ of here! Just show me the way!"

"Forget putting on your shoes, kid – just carry them. We're in a hurry." With Ed close at his heels, he started off, making for the front parade ground where Mustang said he would be.

Automail clashed with the ground as Ed ran after Havoc, trying to keep up, dodging a few bewildered officers and nearly knocking over a water cooler. Reaching the stairs, he simply balanced his weight between his automail hand and foot and slid down the railing, skidding a bit across the floor before scrambling back to his feet to give chase again. "Hey! I haven't had anything to eat yet you know! I think... I..." The clank of metal against tile slowed drastically, pace starting to become a bit uneven. "I... don't... thi... Jean..."

_Guess I should've taken it easy... heh... Jean and Roy both'll have a fit when I wake up..._ That was the last thought that ran through Ed's brain before he blacked out completely, right there in the middle of the hall, the clatter of automail limbs hitting the floor echoing through the lobby.

Havoc skidded to a stop. "Oh, for..." He caught sight of curious personnel closing in. "Back off!" he snapped, not in the mood for questions.

Deciding that it would all work out in the end, he swung the unconscious alchemist up into a secure grip and loped out into the parade ground.

As promised, a car was waiting out front, engine running and the driver apparently most impatient, as he kept revving the engine slightly. Perhaps it was nerves.

Havoc bundled the boy into the backseat (along with his boots), sliding into the passenger's side front. "Two questions for you, sir. One. Where the hell are we going? Two. What the hell is wrong with you?"

As soon as the door was closed, Mustang stepped on the gas, gaze set on the street in front of them. "See for yourself..." He made a brief gesture at the files between them.

"As long as you keep your eyes on the road!" Havoc snapped, hanging on for dear life around a sharp corner. "Whatever's got you so worked up will be a moot point if you get us killed with shitty driving!"

He grumbled and opened up the set of files, organizing them a bit haphazardly around his seat. As he read further, his eyes got wider.

The symbol of a chimerical transmutation... the mysterious disappearance of a certain State Alchemist named Paul Delgardie after the Fifth Laboratory non-incident... the disappearance or apparent destruction of Delgardie's research from the half-restored Central Library two years ago... two dead State Alchemists of high standing who were researching chimerical transmutations, found ripped to shreds (post mortem desecrations) thirteen months ago... the sealing of the homunculus called Greed, three years ago... the cryptic threats that Fawkes had given both him and Mustang... Major Stanton's death, seven months ago... Hughes' death, two months ago... his own near-death, two months ago... Ed's attempted murder, a bare week ago.

The lists of deaths and disappearances grew longer and longer, and he knew exactly who to blame. Predator.

"Roy," he said in a cold tone that brooked no argument. "We're going west. _Now_."

Roy understood perfectly, veering around another turn and clearing Central within half an hour.

Within two more hours, they had crossed the Armestris-Ishbar border, brights on against the unyielding dark.

"There's a military outpost, a half mile north from here," Havoc said quietly. "Leave the car with military personnel. We're going the rest of the way on foot." He checked the high-caliber pistol in his shoulder holster and the twelve rounds of ammunition in the old-fashioned beltpouch on his left hip. "Let me do the talking and try to keep Ed away from the woman's throat."

"Are you sure it's safe to go by foot..." Mustang turned slightly, heading northwest towards the distant lights of the outpost.

"Yes," Havoc said firmly. "In fact, it would be better. I can see in the dark, we'd be less noticeable... you might want to get rid of your military jacket, sir." Now that his initial panic reaction was over, he was back to using cooled formality. "You might get cold, but the people around where Lisa Delgardie live don't take kindly to military. Ah – here we are."

Roy brought the car to a stop, shutting off the engine. "And yourself? ...Nevermind... I'll take him in to get something he can eat, you wait here..." With that, he stepped out of the car, hauling Ed out of the back and carrying him inside.

It was quite clear that Edward Elric would be just fine once a loud and indignant screech was heard from inside, ten minutes later on the dot.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULDN'T EVEN PASS FOR A TINY MUSHROOM!"

Havoc burst out laughing, leaning against the car hood. Ed was more inventive creating insults for himself than Havoc and Mustang combined.

He grabbed the files when he spotted the two men emerging from the station. "Ready?"

Unable to hold back a grin, Roy nodded, dragging the enraged Elric behind him. "Come now, settle _down_, Fullmetal."

Having discarded the jacket, he was indeed ready to meet this Lisa... he wasn't sure who she was, but being related to Delgardie... she was most likely the one who had created... god how he hated that word -_ saved_, that's much better - Jean...

Fuming silently, Ed was hit by another dizzy spell, leaning heavily against Roy for a moment or two and most definitely calming down. "Where... are we..."

"Welcome to West Bum Fuck, more commonly known in Central as Ishbar Outstation I." He turned and started moving off, the sand crunching beneath his boots. "Where the days are scorching and the nights freezing.

"The villagers might be a little hostile at first, but when they see you with me, they'll relax. Both of you, don't even think about doing alchemy."

Sighing slightly, Roy swept Edward off his feet and into his arms, walking after Havoc without a single word.

"I don't need to be carried I can walk just fine..." Ed mumbled against the Colonel's shirt, but didn't protest as his arms slid around the older man's neck and he nuzzled against the pleasant warmth and smell of smoke.

Havoc just rolled his eyes. "Do you two mind catching up? It gets dark out here, and you might get lost."

Turning his head for a minute to glare in the direction of the ground, Ed huffed. "I _hate_ the desert..."

"It's full of _sand_..." Roy chorused, chuckling amusedly at Ed's reaction when he did. "You haven't changed that much after all..." In accordance to Havoc's suggestion, he quickened his pace.

After traveling quickly and in silence for twenty minutes, they made it to the dumpy little outpost town. On the edge of the water limit, a nicer house than the rest stood, a light shining by the door.

Havoc pointed. "That's Lisa's place. She has an extensive lab underneath the building in a small grouping of desert caverns. I don't know how it was built, but the place functions as an inn, hospital, and tavern. The woman's brilliant," he said, fondness coloring his voice momentarily.

"Oh, and sir? Make sure Ed doesn't kill Lisa, will you?"

Roy simply nodded in response, setting Ed down to walk on his own now.

Ed snapped awake. There was someone he had reason to kill. Someone by the name of Lisa.

And if they were going _to_ this person for reasons _other_ than to harm them, Ed could only think of one possible reason he would have to kill them.

"So... it was _her_... the one that did this to you... isn't it..." It wasn't even a question, gold and violet eyes narrowed and burning. Edward already knew the answer.

Havoc paused, poised to knock. "Don't you _dare_ raise a hand against her, Elric. She saved my life. If you try to kill her..." He let the sentence hang, threat unuttered but obvious.

"Sometimes it's not worth the cost to live..." The boy pulled his red coat about his shoulders, his words having a bitter edge. "I've seen what you _do_, what's _different_... stability doesn't last you know..."

"Then if you have an issue, take it up with me. She's not part of this." He tapped gently on the door.

It opened quickly, Lisa looking out blearily, shoving her hair back with her left hand, the scarlet flamel tattoo shining in the light of the lantern. "How may I... Jean!" She threw her arms around his neck, kissing both his cheeks. "It's wonderful to see you again! How are you doing?"

"There are some issues, but there are other things we need to talk to you about."

"Then by all means, come in! There's tea, coffee, and brandy. There aren't any guests or patients in, so you have free run right now." She nodded back at Roy and Ed. "Welcome, you two. Our doors are always open."

Roy had moved to grab Ed's wrist before he did something stupid like try to punch the woman, but noticed that he simply stared... What was he staring at? He wasn't angry… "Edward?"

The blond boy gaped, raising one hand to point at the tattoo. "Where... wh-where did you... how... how do you know..." He couldn't seem to string together the right set of words.

"Yes," Lisa replied, pushing Havoc lightly inside and motioning for the other two men to follow. "You expected that you and your brother were the only ones of Dante's school, besides Izumi? Hardly. Why do you think that Jean is a so-called 'perfect chimera'? It's because I was taught to know what I was doing.

"Would you two like coffee or tea?"

Havoc had already helped himself to coffee and was settling down in a comfy over-stuffed armchair, the files on the low table in front of him.

"Dante! Teacher's..." Automail and human fists clenched tightly. "Maybe you were taught to know what you were doing... but you must not have been taught to know what's right and wrong in alchemy!"

"Ed, get a grip," Havoc said from the chair.

Lisa's smile quirked. "Fullmetal, you really shouldn't be talking. Not only is it the pot calling the kettle black, you don't know the terms of our agreement. I do chimerical transmutations for hopeless medical cases, and only if they sign a release form. Yes, there is what appears to be momentary insanity, but that usually fades after body and mind reach an equilibrium. The 'perfect' state of matter.

"And don't go yelling about the evils of chimerae in here. The two of us might take grave exception to it."

Havoc just sat calmly through Lisa's lecture, sipping his coffee.

"That's not the point!" The wall rattled as an automail fist was slammed into it. "_You turned him into a goddamn weapon! Something that's just going to be used and thrown away!_"

A step closer, violet swirling angrily in his eye that retained some amount of gold. "_He's just going to end up getting killed!_"

Immediately, Havoc was at Lisa's side. "And you think hurting her will stop that! It's wasn't her decision! _It was mine!_"

Roy stepped forward, sensing more instinctively what was coming, and wrapped his arms around Ed's waist, pulling the smaller boy back against him and nuzzling his face in blond hair. His voice was smooth and calming when he whispered softly. "Shh... Ed... shhh... it's alright..."

He swayed gently from side to side, just subtle enough to be calming. It was obvious whatever he'd done had worked, though, albeit painful to feel the gentle heaving of Ed's shoulders against his chest.

It was then that he shot a cold gaze towards Lisa. "I appreciate your intentions and efforts... but I'm going to have to ask you to refrain from chiding him... he's been through Hell and back... and not even for as short a time as you have..."

"I take orders from no one," she said scathingly. "Major Elric may have been through Hell and back, but he's still a child. And children must be punished according to their transgressions, however I don't have the authority that Izumi Curtis does."

Havoc could see that this could lead to an explosion of epic proportions. He rested a protective arm around Lisa's shoulders. "Sir, we don't have the time for this. If Ed can't understand, send him upstairs to sleep it off. We can't afford to have him flare off about something that can't be helped."

"_Just... shut up... stop treating me like I'm a child, Roy... stop defending me I can do it myself..._" Edward looked up, two pure-violet eyes meeting Lisa's gaze head on and unwavering, despite the tears that had recently made their way down his face.

"Maybe you don't know what it's like... maybe you do... I could care less..._ but people are supposed to stay dead!_"

Havoc had had enough. "Elric, shut up!" he snarled. "Unlike you, I wasn't dead yet! You want the truth? I signed away my soul. But I did it for revenge, which is something you can't even begin to understand unless you've seen ninety-eight of your best friends slaughtered before your eyes! This isn't about you! It's about me, and getting justice for the people who were murdered and disgraced in death!"

"Revenge..." Ed sneered at the thought of it. "Vengeance... eye for an eye... equivalent trade? No. It's NOT equivalent trade... equivalent trade would mean a life was given as well as taken, and that wasn't the case. The very concept of revenge is as stupid as we were when we sat down at the edge of that damn circle eight years ago! And it's not just about you, either! Can't you ever just look at me for once and drag out some goddamn compassion! Or am I just a little leech clinging to your leg all the time that you don't really want there but you tolerate because you feel SORRY for it!"

Ed tried to lash out in anger and frustration, held back by Mustang's arms. "What the hell am I to you anymore, Jean! What was I ever to you, a good lay? I can't keep doing this!" Tears flowed again, pain evident behind anger.

Arms moved from around Ed's waist as Roy stepped back, dark eyes settling on Havoc. The message they sent was clear.

_You fucked with him, you pushed him, you're going to have to fix him... there's nothing I can do anymore._

Once he was sure the message was across, he averted his eyes, taking Havoc's suggested route for Ed and climbing the stairs.

"Jesus Christ, Ed!" It was an old oath, one from his childhood, and everyone jumped when they heard it. "Do you honestly think that low of me? Have I now just become a monster because I want justice from those perverts that stole everything that I loved? Since the first time you ran from me, have you seen me as a monster?" He sorely wanted to lash out at the boy, but something held him back. "Should I just kill myself, here, right in front of you, to make it all better for you!"

He ignored Mustang. There were some things that not even he could fix. And this argument had been brewing ever since he had seen Ed again.

"No, Jean. You should fucking kill _me_! _I_ was the one who was supposed to stay dead!" In the following moments, Ed could feel the silence pounding in his ears, threatening to crush his skull, he could almost see the _things_ reaching out for him again...

Havoc screamed his frustration. Four long steps, and his right hand connected with the side of Ed's face, even harder than he had hit him in Dublith.

Cat eyes sparkled gold-flecked green, remorseless and pitiless. "I have no sympathy for you anymore, Major. If you insist on acting this way, then we're finished. I've tried to be understanding, I've tried to keep being there for you, but hearing this over and over again... one might think you scorn this gift you've been given."

"It's not a gift, Jean. It's a fucking curse... whether or not we can see it Al lost something huge in return for my body and my soul... everybody _loses_, there's a reason human transmutation is forbidden you know, and it's not just the high costs either..." Violet eyes still met Havoc's gaze, cold automail soothing his throbbing jaw.

Havoc gritted his teeth. "Fine. See it that way, I don't care anymore. It'll just cripple you and sour you. You'll push everyone away." He turned, going downstairs into the infirmary. Before he descended, he said. "If you let that happen, then you aren't the man I thought you were. If you decide to change your mind, you know where I am." He disappeared.

"I never have been..." Ed's voice was shaky, and he didn't move from the spot he'd landed in, aside from tilting his head back to stare blankly at the ceiling. "Never was..." An eerie ghost of a smile drifted onto the boy's face, and he reached out for someone only he could see. No sound came, but his lips did move.

'_Mother... please... give it back... I need it..._'

Lisa had watched the fight from an unobtrusive corner. "Major Elric?" she queried quietly.

Edward's voice squeaked in protest, but the words came out vocally now, even if just barely. "_Mother... give it back, please... I... we need that... don't leave me here_... Mother no! Come back don't leave me here alone... can't live without that... need it... bring it back..."

Lisa looked down at the boy, pity and anger struggling for supremacy. She turned her back on the struggling boy, knowing there was nothing she could do for him.

_Let him learn, let him live, let him die... the things most precious to us are never realized until we lose them... and you're damn close to losing Jean. But you won't care until he's lost to you forever._ She descended down to where Havoc was sleeping, to talk to him and give him a shoulder to cry on.

Even though chimerae couldn't cry.

"Why... why couldn't they take the pain... why did they have to take that part why!" Ed curled into a fetal position on the floor, shivering. "I'll trade my other limbs just give me back what you stole from me you thieving sadistic bastards! _Stop coming for me and taking everything away! Give me back my soul! I'm not one of you! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HIM TOO!_"

Lisa intercepted Havoc on the way downstairs. "Nuh-uh, back in bed," she said sternly, blocking the stairwell. "Major Elric has to fight this one out on his own."

"But..." For all his hard words earlier, Havoc was still plainly worried.

"Jean, get back in bed. These specters he's struggling against can't actually harm him. They're a figment of an already stressed and unstable mind, a way of fobbing off blame for what he's done onto another, stronger entity. That's not to say they aren't real, but they don't precisely exist in our reality." It wasn't exactly the truth, but it wasn't exactly a lie. She didn't want him to get even more worried than he already was.

Havoc meekly allowed himself to be shepherded back into his comfortable bed. "You sound like Izumi..."

"Little wonder, really. She wrote me a few days ago asking for help in this case. As a chimera and a chimerical alchemist, I have run-ins with the Gate all the time."

"Is there any way to help him?"

"H'mm... since it means so much to you, when he faints, I'll give him a sedative and put him down here. I'm not going to risk putting him in the residential section, so I'll tell the other man –"

"Mustang," Havoc supplied thoughtlessly.

Lisa grinned. "Right. Mustang. I'll tell him that Major Elric is down here. As for you..." she viewed the obviously stressed chimera before her. "I can put you into a silent room and give you something to drink. You still haven't fully adjusted, have you?"

"No."

"I can give you some medication to help that. It won't completely cure it, that has to come from you; that is, you have to find an equilibrium between your two halves. I can run a psychological test on you, if you want."

"No thanks..." He cocked his head. "Hey, Lisa? Could you put some of that medication in with the sedative?"

"Good idea! If it works for chimerae, then it may work with partial homunculi." She kissed him lightly. "You're a dear, Jean." She fluttered upstairs, to get drugs ready, watch for Elric's inevitable lapse into unconsciousness, and to inform Mustang when everything was over.

Roy had tried to ignore it, ignore the rasping screams that grew steadily louder from downstairs, but he could only take so much.

Upstairs there was the soft sound of a door opening and closing discreetly, bare feet creeping towards the stairwell. Roy cringed at another particularly wrenching cry, pausing a moment before continuing.

Lisa wasn't quite sure how she managed to do it, but she worked doggedly through the mounting screams, preparing the medicated sedative for the hysterical young man.

When the cries abated briefly, she grabbed the boy's left arm, inserting a needle and injecting the sedative. She left it to do its work, and began to make three cups of tea, one laced with the medication for Havoc.

Hearing the cries stop abruptly, Roy hurried his pace just slightly, before he appeared at the bottom of the stairs, dark eyes slightly irritated from tears he'd never admit to letting fall focused on Lisa. The questioning was there, when his eyes darted to the prone boy on the floor, and back to her. But he trusted, and he made no move to assume.

Lisa smiled faintly. "He'll be fine. I just gave him a sedative, laced with the same medication that I'm giving Jean. The only side effect that I know of is that he'll be quiet for at least a day or two. If you'll help me to get him down into the infirmary, I'd be grateful.

"I made a cup of tea for those of us still awake and I think there's some poundcake in the pantry."

Roy nodded. "Thank you for your help..." He stepped up to Edward's unconscious form, carefully lifting the boy into his arms. There was a soft gasp of surprise when warm flesh and cold automail draped subconsciously around his neck. "I... apologize for his outburst..." Dark eyes averted the woman's gaze.

"No need to, really. I'll admit that I'm not particularly thrilled with the way he's conducted himself in my home, but then again, he still hasn't grown up. For all he's been through, for all his age, he's still just a little child crying for help in the only way he knows how." Her voice was non-committal, matter-of-fact. She put the teacups on a tray with three-thirds of a poundcake, sliced neatly. "Perhaps if I could still feel compassion, I would. This way, please. Jean should still be awake." She descended the stairs into the infirmary, careful of the slightly uneven steps.

With a brisk nod, Roy followed, just wondering if perhaps he saw just a bit of Izumi and Hawkeye in that woman that was leading him down the stairs.

Havoc looked up wearily at the goon parade coming down the stairs. He was in the pajamas that Lisa had lent him last time around – simple, soft gray flannel pants. "Oh, wonderful. Anyone else want to yell at me? I'm open for the next half-hour."

Lisa smiled humorously. "Jean, hush. We're not going to yell at you. In fact, I want to know why you suddenly showed up on my doorstep." To Mustang, she said, "Go through that door and lay Major Elric down on the bed in there. He won't be waking up for twelve hours." She set down the medicated tea. "Here. Drink up, you need it."

Roy instead just shook his head, somewhere deep down knowing that if he put the boy in bed he wouldn't be able to manage leaving his side. And so he just held Edward in his arms as he took a seat, shooting an apologetic look in Jean's direction before kindly refusing his own drink.

He cleared his throat a bit, looking back to Jean.

_So... who's going to be the one to start explaining...?_

Havoc stretched, wincing at the catch and pull of the scars on his back and chest. "Where to start? Lisa, does the name Paul Delgardie mean anything to you?"

"I'd say!" she said, setting down the plate of poundcake at the foot of Havoc's bed. "He's my uncle. Incidentally, he's the man that turned me into a chimera. He ran off to become a National Alchemist and we never heard from him again."

Havoc glanced over at Roy, rubbing one of the scars at his neck. _The ball's in your court now, sir..._

Features instantly smoothing into his usual mask, Roy nodded slowly. How he could look so professional and be holding a sleeping bundle of light in his arms was probably something to be amazed at, but not now. "Indeed he did become a National Alchemist…" and he'd cut off there, as this was something he hadn't even let Havoc know, before continuing, "He changed his name to Fawkes. The last the military heard from him before he scampered off to hell knows where was his project... He called it 'Predator'..."

Havoc choked on his tea. He started coughing so hard that little spots of blood showed on his hand. "You're kidding?" he rasped, horrified.

"Deceit... I wondered why..." Lisa mused. She showed no shock or horror, just a faint sadness. "What irony." She seemed to snap to herself. "Are you sure?" she demanded imperiously. "Uncle Paul couldn't hurt a fly! And now you're telling me he did _that_ to Jean?" She pointed to Havoc's bare chest and neck.

"Quite the contrary... however I do believe he _created_ the abominations that did that to Jean..."

Havoc sat and thought about it for a while. "So you're saying that 'Ashton' Fawkes is not the same as 'Paul' Fawkes?" He tried to look at Mustang, but failed, turning his head away. He sipped his tea uncomfortably. "But... there's something inherently wrong with that. I don't know what it is, but there's something wrong."

Roy's gaze fell on Lisa for a moment. "Your uncle was a very talented and brilliant alchemist, ma'am, though I'm sure you knew as much. The so called 'Ashton Fawkes' has no military records, nor is there any existence of a so-called 'Predator Alchemist'..." Dark eyes shifted to Havoc. "However, considering the difference in supposed and known personality traits... as well as the similarities... I believe it is safe to assume that the two men are in fact related..."

"Cousin," Havoc said abruptly, drawing the others' attention. "Ashton is your cousin. The scent is too similar to be anything else." He swirled the dregs of his tea thoughtfully. "Everything that Fawkes taught you must have been his preliminary research. You must have been his first experiment." He got up, padding bare-footed across the stone floor. "I'm going to get those files."

Lisa watched him, studying the fluid economy of his movements. Nothing registered on her face. "Jean and Ashton... those two are the missing links," she said dreamily.

It took a moment for the comment to set in, but when it did, Roy found himself holding Edward tighter, one hand slowly stroking the boy's hair.

"And what about him..." He wasn't quite sure the voice was his until after he finished speaking, though.

"The pinnacle of a forbidden research... the pinnacle and pitfall."

Havoc reentered, holding the stack of file folders. He spotted Mustang clutching the young man, and his jaw tightened. "Maybe we should discuss this later," he said shortly.

Lisa put a comforting arm around his bare waist. "No, the sooner we talk about this, the better." She reached up, holding the side of his face in a gentle hand, tracing his oddly-shaped, dark eyes. "Who knows. Uncle Paul may know you're here and then where would you be? Without a plan, without a viable mode of attack, without anything." She smiled warmly up at her friend. Perhaps a bit too warmly for Mustang's comfort.

Dark eyes focused on Jean, message too clear to even need to be hinted at.

Havoc coughed back a giggle. He could feel Lisa trying not to laugh either. When and if Mustang went back upstairs, they would be laughing hysterically.

"That brings up a good point, actually," he said, laughter thick behind his voice. He was trying so hard to be diplomatic, but it wasn't working at all. "We do need to figure out how to shut these maniacs down."

"If I remember correctly, a chimera is not 'immortal' in the sense that an artificially created human is... they can still be destroyed by normal methods..." And if there was a hint of worry in his voice, Roy would have denied it, along with the slightest flash of warning in his eyes as they flickered to Jean once more.

"We may be killable, sir, but we're also better able to take care of ourselves than the average human being is," Havoc pointed out. "Respectfully, I would be able to last a lot longer than you in a dangerous position, alchemy or no. All it takes is one lead slug, and you're out of business."

Lisa gently rubbed the scar on Havoc's back, easing the tight tissue. "If you're not willing to have an absolute nightmare on your hands, you have to figure out their flaw. Knowing my uncle, he would have built one in, just to keep them controllable."

Roy pondered for a few moments, absent fingers trailing through blond strands. After a moment he paused, looking up to the others. "Ashton Fawkes _does_ know alchemy... there's... something inlaid on his left palm... An array. I remember him tracing it to light a cigarette when I met him and he posed as an officer..."

"That would make sense," both Lisa and Havoc said at the same time. They looked at each other and grinned.

"But he would have to have something that could turn him into a normal-looking being," Havoc continued. "He can't _always_ be looking like a scraggly housecat dredged from the cistern."

He hunched his shoulders a bit. "M'mm... that feels good, Lisa. Harder, please?"

And if there was a growling sound coming from where Roy sat, he'd say it was his stomach.

"There's poundcake right there if you're hungry," Lisa said demurely.

And if Edward let out a startled yelp in his sleep and Roy jerked his hand back from his head, he'd say he hit a nasty tangle.

Just to make matters worse, Havoc started purring as Lisa's fingers worked their way up to massage the back of his neck.

Oh... now that wasn't something Roy needed. _At. All._

Maybe it _would_ have been a good idea to go with Edward and lay him in the other room... Then again... Roy had the feeling that would've ended up even worse...

Shifting slightly in his chair, much to the dislike of the boy in his arms, who would've probably kicked if he'd had the energy and awareness despite settling now for a growl of protest, Mustang cleared his throat, shooting a dark glance at Lisa and hoping _for once_ she might just catch the goddamn drift and leave before he ended up doing something they'd _ALL_ regret in the morning...

Lisa caught the look and grinned, completely unrepentant. "Well, then. I think I'll go upstairs and lock up for the night. Are you staying down here, sir?"

"I'm sure it would be better if I stayed with Edward..." _And got a chance to be alone with my boyfriend so **I** could make him purr like that..._ went unspoken.

"All right." She scooped up the dishes and the untouched plate. "Jean, take it easy. That medication doesn't like being abused, so don't stay up too late." She disappeared upstairs, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	27. Blissfully Ignorant

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Blissfully Ignorant****

* * *

**

**Rating:**R (Yay. Sex.)  
**Pairings:** HavocxRoy, implied RoyxEd and HavocxEd  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers:** Noooooone!  
**Setting:** Lisa Delgardie's house, Geriko.  
**Timeline:** Roy was jealous. It makes me laugh. So then he decided he'd reclaim what he'd lost three years ago. We like smut.

* * *

Havoc slid lithely into bed, turning onto his side and pulling the sheet up around his shoulder. "Night, sir..." 

"If you think I'm sleeping in that chair or risking a blow from his automail in the morning you're mistaken, Jean..." Roy purred lightly as he passed the bed and carried Edward into the other room. Not long after he was back again, gingerly taking a seat on the edge of the bed and stretching, spine finally cracking as he let out a sigh and began unbuttoning his shirt. "And if you think I'm just going to sleep, you don't know me as well as you should..."

A slit-pupiled blue-green eye glanced over at the other man, twinkling. "I never particularly said any of that, sir."

"Call me sir again and I'll have to take this as one of those 'special' sessions... and I don't think your friend upstairs would quite like her laboratory transmuted into... _that..._" Roy grinned, tossing the shirt aside and, realizing he'd forgotten his shoes, shrugged and turned to slide under the covers and scoot over up against Havoc. "And just what constitutes as 'too late' to her, anyway..." There was a glint in those dark eyes as he smirked, fingers already dancing across the exposed chest before him.

Blue-green eyes lidded. "Dunno," he said. "We could always ask her..."

"_Not one word..._" Roy warned, albeit a bit playful with the grin spread across his face as he leaned closer to lick gently at the vein in Havoc's neck.

Havoc exhaled softly, twining strong fingers through messy black hair. "Well, why not..."

Roy nipped a bit roughly at the base of Havoc's ear. "Not a word... period..."

Muscles tensed instinctively as he groaned slightly. "Or..."

Roy growled lightly at the persistence. "Just shut _up_ already..." And of course, he didn't forget to enforce the silence by closing his mouth over Jean's lips hungrily.

Havoc went completely boneless, moaning softly into Mustang's demanding kiss. His hands drifted down the other man's body, remembering the quiet strength that he had loved before.

Roy shifted again, pulling Havoc closer as he ran the tip of his tongue lightly against the sharp pricks of canines in the other man's mouth, shivering just lightly.

Havoc ran gentle claws down Mustang's back, touching but not wounding.

Shivering again, Roy shifted his weight, causing a roll that ended up with him over Havoc as he broke the kiss, moving down along Havoc's jawline, down his neck, nipping at the junction of neck and shoulder a bit roughly.

Tracing the slightly irritated mark with his tongue, Roy nibbled again in the same place, hands running down Jean's sides and rubbing back up to his shoulders again before once more he attacked the inviting warmth of Havoc's mouth.

Breaking away from Roy's kiss, he ignored the startled and hurt look in flint-black eyes. He rolled over and snuggled up to the slightly smaller man, wedging himself between bare chest and mattress.

"M'mm... s'comfy..." He stretched sore muscles, needing more than just physical comfort. He was still upset about the fight with Edward and he couldn't get the ring of the boy's accusations out of his head.

Roy groaned slightly, swallowing hard and sighing, resigning himself to simply hold the man close for now, to ignore himself despite how fucking _hard_ that was to do.

Fingers gently stroked through Havoc's hair, half for his own comfort too, as he forced his breathing to slow to a reasonable pace again.

Havoc somehow managed to twitch his entire frame so that Roy's fingers were gently stroking the back of his neck. A low, deep purr resonated through both their bodies.

Roy absently noted the slight twitch in his left eye as he swallowed again, a bit more alertly noted that he wished he'd slipped into some more lenient pants, and dually noted that he most likely wouldn't last much longer like this.

"_Fuck,_ Jean, you can't expect to do _that_ and just sit here do you!" Roy hissed after the twitching had subsided.

Havoc looked up innocently enough, and lightly tapped his closed mouth. The meaning itself was clear – he was forbidden to speak until his master said otherwise.

Then his hand slid down to unbutton the first catch of Roy's trousers.

The corner of Roy's mouth quirked slightly, and he continued to gently graze his nails along the back of Havoc's neck, shifting the slightest bit so that they were nose to nose. His grin only grew broader, eyes glittering hungrily locked with Jean's own.

Still purring, Havoc brushed his lips lightly across Roy's, more of a question than a kiss.

His hand undid the second catch.

Fingers danced down Havoc's spine lightly, rubbing a bit harder in some places. Roy tilted his head slightly and lightly nibbled at Havoc's lower lip.

Havoc's purr doubled in intensity, making his entire body vibrate. He curled closer, licking at Roy's neck with a rougher-than-normal tongue.

Roy shuddered, rough tongue sending shivers down his spine and prickling goosebumps on his bare skin as he tilted his neck habitually to bare more of it, trying, and failing, to suppress a soft moan. In the meantime, two fingers rubbed just at the base of Havoc's spine continuously.

Havoc writhed helplessly. Roy had found one of the most sensitive places on his entire body – the nerves that would have gone into a tail needed to end _somewhere_, and that was the where.

Soft, mewling moans forced themselves from his throat.

Roy slowed the rubbing, before moving his hand away again and kissing Havoc's neck. He moved slightly, just enough for a husky whisper to be muttered in Jean's ear. "As much as I'd love to simply watch you reduced to a writhing heap of incoherence completely at my mercy, Jean, I need you to still be at least a little aware of your surroundings for a while..."

Havoc loosely draped his arms around Roy's neck, nipping and licking pleadingly at exposed skin. He didn't really need to speak. His actions were more than enough to get his point across.

Closing his eyes, Roy moaned softly once more. "Going to let me this time?" There was short moment in which he rubbed the base of Havoc's spine again, an unspoken promise for more later on.

Havoc gasped in a sharp breath, entire body jerking against Roy's. Blue-green eyes were liquid with need and want. He nuzzled up under Roy's jaw, laying careful licks along his strong jawline.

A low chuckle hummed in Roy's throat and once again he rolled on top of Havoc, one hand gently teasing at the back of his neck as he leaned down, bringing their lips to meet. The kiss was gentle at first, but it wasn't long before desire rose and Roy deepened it with an almost bruising intensity.

Havoc easily rendered desire back for desire, hands threading through slightly damp hair, bringing his master in for a closer kiss – if that was even possible anymore. Somewhere back in his fogged brain, he could hear himself whimpering, but he could feel himself rubbing his hips up against Roy. It didn't really connect.

A low moan forced itself up out of Roy's throat as he broke the kiss, momentarily grinding his hips down against Havoc's. Tongue and teeth heatedly ran along Havoc's jaw, down the underside of that tanned neck, lightly scraping skin and licking and kissing it better and moving further down still, nipping at his collarbone, teasing down his chest.

Hands glided downwards, light touches at first and then rubbing down Havoc's sides firmly, slipping up under the elastic waistband and carressing his hips and thighs and calves as pants were pulled down inch by inch revealing more of that deliciously bronzed skin Roy had all but forgotten.

The wet heat of Roy's mouth moved back up again, breaths hot at the base of Havoc's ear, and in a deep, husky voice he muttered something there, though he was sure that the words would take a moment to decipher in the other man's pleasantly muddled brain.

"_Now...tell me what you want..._"

Words threaded their way through a brain made nonsensical by pleasure. "Ohgod..." Havoc didn't even bother to answer, catching Roy's mouth in a kiss that seemed to go on forever. After one or the other broke the kiss, he lay back panting, eyes showing clear sapphire under half-drawn lids.

"_Anything... everything... you..._"

"Nnnh..." Roy nibbled Havoc's earlobe while he ran sure fingers through tawny straw-coloured hair. Seeing Jean like this at completely at his mercy again after so _long_ made him practically purr the next thing he said.

"_Tell me what you want me to do..._" Roy could probably play this game for at least an hour or two until he got the answers he was looking for.

Eyes momentarily sparked even brighter blue, then settled back into blue-green. Havoc smiled, baring sharp teeth, then lightly bit down on Roy's neck. He could feel his teeth sink in just a little before he licked away the two tiny beads of blood.

"Screw me senseless... _master_..."

Roy winced just slightly and groaned at the sharp teeth on his neck, shivering as the initial sensation passed. A smirk curled his lips at the words he heard, and he shifted again.

Propping himself up on one elbow to watch Jean's reaction as he trailed one hand down the centerline of the man's bare chest and lower, thumb teasing the slit as fingers curled around the shaft, just loose enough to taunt the edge of friction.

"_We're getting to that...tell me what you want me to do **first**_..." Roy couldn't help but purr as he ran the tip of his tongue up and down the vein running the length of Havoc's neck.

A sharp bark of surprise and pleasure emitted abruptly from Havoc's throat. "M'mm... this... is nice... too..."

Roy's fingers curled a bit more tightly, then he started to move his hand, gradually sliding into a teasingly slow rhythm. "_Tell me..._"

Havoc let his head fall to the side. "Nnnngg... no..." He still had his pride, dammit, and he wouldn't beg. And in his book, that constituted as begging.

Roy let another low chuckle rise from his throat, as he stopped his hand again, grip tightening once more, and he rubbed his thumb in the slit with more pressure than before. "Oh...?" His other hand slid down Havoc's side, pushing up under him to slowly begin rubbing at the base of his spine again.

... _oh, hell_.

Havoc writhed, trying to escape the torturing hands caressing him, but it was no use. Either way he moved, there was a firm touch playing with him.

His breath started hissing hard and fast between clenched teeth.

"_Tell me what you **want**, Jean..._" Roy's words were hissed in his ear, fingernails lightly grazing across tight, oversensitive skin. "M'mm...?"

"Damn... you..." he managed, his body arching uncontrollably.

_Stupid pride, stupid body... dammit, Roy!_

Roy hummed lightly, nipping and licking his way up and down Havoc's neck as his hands remained just as torturously busy elsewhere. "I can wait..." he purred against Havoc's throat.

_I'm sure you can... bastard..._ Havoc tugged Roy's head up, engaging him in a fierce kiss.

Roy circled the tip with his thumb before rubbing into the slit again, giving back the kiss as fiercely as it was given to him. He pulled away for breath, but mumbled against Havoc's lips. "_Your stubbornness is only costing you, Jean..._"

Even though Mustang knew damn well that was a lie.

Havoc smiled an enigmatic, feline smile at that. "You... know you love it..." he purred, tongue flicking out to taste the other man's lower lip.

"Love watching you wrest with your own pride before finally I'm the one to break it..." Mustang purred, moving his hand away to rub his palm over Havoc's chest, circling a nipple and then pinching it lightly.

"You're certainly welcome to try..." he murmured, hands lightly sliding over Roy's damp neck and shoulders. "Though... I doubt you'd get very far..." He pulled him up for another kiss.

"Oh really..." Roy mumbled against Havoc's lips, lightly returning the kiss before pulling away again, head dipping just long enough to let the tip of his tongue flick across a nipple, fingers dancing light and slow along the inside of Havoc's thigh. "Looked like I was pretty close to winning just a few minutes ago..."

"Were not!" Havoc said indignantly. "You're just an old man that's lost his touch..." He guided Roy up, licking his cheek lightly. "You want to prove me wrong?"

The challenge was out and he had high hopes for Roy's temper tantrum.

"I _will_..." Roy willingly took the bait, nails raking lightly down Jean's hard length as he dipped his head again, massaging a nipple with lips and tongue, only to nip and tease harshly as his other hand continued to rub firmly at the base of Havoc's spine.

"Has the good Lisa Delgardie taken into consideration the possible uses of... say..._ catnip?_" Roy purred, in a voice as sultry as he'd often used to make his lover melt completely before him.

"Mmnnrrr..." Havoc's entire body arched, calloused fingertips stroking the back of his tormenter's neck. An exquisite heat began to build, even as he whimpered and moaned at Roy's touch.

"Roy..." A harsh cry was buried in the back of his throat.

_Not yet, please, not yet..._

"Hhnn...?" Head dropping further, Roy scraped his teeth lightly down Havoc's chest, hot tongue tracing the contours of his muscles and the line of his hips. He paused, breath measured and hot and torturing. "_Tell me_..."

"... n-no..." He wasn't sure how long he would be able to keep from begging, but he would try his damnedest to keep from it until Roy finally got sick of his little game. Which would probably be a while.

_Fuck..._

Roy purred, lightly blowing against the tip as he slowly drug his nails down the inside of Havoc's thigh. "Tell me and I'll stop teasing..." The grin that spread across Mustang's face was entirely too obvious in his voice.

_Honestly, Roy, you should know me by now... too stubborn for my own good..._

A strangled sound burst out, half way between a cry and a moan, hoarse and pleading. Too many pleasurable sensations were bombarding him at one time, and he nearly lost it.

Fingertips moved again to barely graze down the length as Roy let his tongue draw lazy circles around the tip, breaths still ghosting over heated skin. He simply hummed to himself, he'd done this before, and he'd do it again. He almost always won in the end...

Now... this was something new... instead of fighting it, he just lay back languidly, enjoying the pet and caress. It wasn't quite like being petted like a kitten, but it was still faintly relaxing. Just going with it seemed to ease a lot of the tension...

Once he had discovered this... overly relaxed side of himself, he stretched his arms over his head, closed green-gold eyes, and began to purr happily.

Sometimes it was a _good_ thing he wasn't entirely human any more. He chuckled to think of the look on Roy's face when the other man began to figure out that it wasn't _quite_ as torturous as before.

Raising an eyebrow slightly, Roy ceased his motions, instead moving away to sprawl out lazily next to Jean, dark eyes observing but not touching.

"Giving up?" Havoc purred, his eyes still closed. "Roy Mustang, the one who never gives up, is finally admitting defeat? The world is at an end..."

He yawned cavernously, canines glinting. His mouth snapped shut with a little click and he smiled slowly. "_I win._"

"Whoever said I was giving up?" _I'm just letting you smolder for a while..._ Roy smirked, dark eyes glinting slightly.

"I just did." He stretched, long body getting even longer for a brief moment, then settling back with a sigh and a groan. He cracked open a green-gold eye. "Wipe that smirk off your face. It makes me think you're going to eat me."

A hand reached out, brushing delicate fingers over Roy's bare midsection.

Roy purred lightly, smirk only growing. "Maybe I will..." Hands reached out and pulled Havoc's up to his mouth, kissing fingertips before drawing in two fingers fully, nipping lightly as the digits were carressed by his tongue. Not once did Mustang's eyes leave Havoc's.

Lids half-closed over a thin ring of green. "Is that meant to be a threat?" He was pressed up against the other man in a heartbeat, rough tongue licking over Roy's neck. "Because if it was, I might have to get you first..." he murmured.

Roy grinned again, shuddering slightly. "Nn... really now..." Although he made no move to change the current course of actions.

Havoc chuckled, nibbling behind the other man's ear and nipping his way down to the hollow of his throat. "Commendable, sir. Commendable."

His free hand slid down to completely unfasten blue wool trousers.

Roy mimicked Havoc's chuckle, nuzzling his face in the man's hair slightly and once again scratching lightly at the back of his neck. "I'm not quite sure if I should be offended or flattered, Lieutenant..."

"Oh, flattered," Havoc said easily, smiling somewhat evilly. "How can I insult you, of all people?" Gently, he tugged down the masses of blue wool. His hand dipped competently, taking the other man in hand and flicking his thumb idly over the tip. "Though... I wonder if this counts as insubordination?" he commented, licking Roy's throat again.

Shifting slightly, Roy groaned, one hand moving down to rub at the base of Havoc's spine again. "Hnn... I'd say-aah..-it would be more along the lines of-hhn...-fraternization..."

"I'd expect you'd know better than me..." Havoc murmured, leaving Roy's throat to tease something a little more fun. He looked up after an experimental lick. "After all, we know that I'm terrible at obeying my orders..."

Roy made something that sounded somewhat like a growl. "Oh? I didn't _notice_..." He shifted a bit, raking his fingers up the back of Havoc's neck and twining them in tawny locks. "Going to be straightforward or will you take a page out of my book this time?" By the tone of his voice it was obvious that grin was back.

He circled his tongue around the tip and briefly licked the slit. He paused, considering. "H'm. Good question, really. I _could_ pay you back for being such a smug bastard. Then again, that really isn't my style." He nipped sensitive flesh. "Any suggestions?"

Mustang purred lightly, grinning to himself. "Would you listen to them if I did?"

Havoc sat up, tracing patterns with the curve of his claws over Roy's stomach and lower. "Just in case you didn't hear me I repeat, sir, that you are a smug bastard. You're going to have to humble yourself before I let you anywhere near me..." Oddly fluid eyes met Roy's in something of a challenge.

Roy grinned back lazily, idly rubbing the nape of Havoc's neck still. "I am aware of my level of achievement in the smug bastard area of expertise, Lieutenant... I surely don't need to be reminded of that by you, seeing as Fullmetal takes care of that every time he sees my face..."

He knew it was a childish reaction, he really did. But still, his entire body stiffened, shutters slammed down over expressive eyes, and his face went stone cold and emotionless. "Oh."

Even to himself his voice sounded tight and unhappy. He could only wonder what Roy thought.

The smug grin was gone now, and Roy gently pulled Havoc back up so he could cradle him, unspoken apology. He sighed heavily, gently stroking down Havoc's back and rubbing soothing circles to get him to relax. "I... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have mentioned..."

Havoc rested his forehead on Roy's shoulder, really wanting to cry right then, thank you very much, and get that horrible tight feeling out of his chest. "No, don't apologize. You didn't know." He laughed somewhat bitterly. "Hell, the kid was probably right... not like it matters anymore."

Roy's grip tightened, squeezing lightly before relaxing once more, still reassuring. "Don't you dare start that... Not now... Not here..."

"You mentioned it first, dammit." He sighed tightly. "How much of our fight did you hear after you managed to escape?"

"How much couldn't be heard easily?" It was a rhetorical question, really. "Jean..." Roy didn't know if he was trying to comfort Havoc, or whether it was really he who needed to be comforted...

"Dear God... every time I think I'm making progress with him, we always go back three steps because one of us does something stupid. The only way for me to get through that goddamn three-foot-thick wall he's built against me is to hurt his feelings! It's because..." he stopped short, unwilling to go any further. "I don't think he realizes how I felt when he ran away from me..."

Roy continued to stroke soothingly as he mumbled against the top of Jean's head. "He might not understand... but he's beating himself up over doing it..."

"Why should he? It's the normal reaction anyone has when they see me. It's either that or stopping and staring at the freak." The empty hopelessness was even worse than the surging anger he felt against Ed. "Why should he? It's only natural."

Mustang felt anger rising in his chest at how pitiful Jean was acting, but he forced down the urge to just slap sense into the man. "He doesn't have to have a reason, Jean... The point is that he does... he's sorry..." It took a moment to pull himself back together. "Stop rolling around in your own self pity..."

"I'm sorry sir. It's hard to be like this when no one that I care for is comfortable around me – even you, sir. You always tense up slightly when I look at you." He took a big deep breath and killed his pride. "I'm sorry I made you go through this. I'd like your forgiveness, but you don't have to."

"I have to admit it's a bit startling... but it's really no different from the first time I saw an Ishbarite's eyes, Jean... it takes a little getting used to is all..." Roy lifted Havoc's chin to bring him into a gentle, reassuring kiss.

If Havoc had been still able to cry, he would have broken down in grattitude. It made him feel... not whole exactly, that would come only when Ed finally came to grips with the world as it stood now, but much, _much_ better.

He began to purr contently.

Hearing the purr again sent shivers down Roy's spine, and he groaned. "Jean... I trust this little episode is over now... so could we please continue?"

Havoc didn't even bother to wait for an answer. He deepened the kiss.

Roy tightened his grip once more, fingers knotted in straw-coloured hair and running down Havoc's back, one leg sliding between his thighs as he sighed into the kiss.

Havoc growled slightly as he worried at Roy's lower lip.

"_C'mon, Roy..._"

Pulling away from Jean's mouth, Roy shifted again so that Havoc's back was once more to the mattress. Fiery kisses ran down from jaw to neck to chest, steadily downwards, though they stopped in between to suck briefly on a nipple before continuing. Tongue dipped into the taut hollow of Jean's navel before retreating, teeth grazing down along the line of a hip.

Havoc moaned appreciatively, bound and determined to pay back the wonderful man who was currently making him feel like very happy pudding. He swallowed the remains of his pride. "Hurry – get me off..."

Roy all but purred, ceasing any delay in the matter, tongue swiftly trailing up the length, circling the head once, and, hands settled on Havoc's thighs, he swallowed him whole.

Forcing his throat to relax against the hard, throbbing pressure, he quickly settled into a fast rhythm, massaging with his tongue and lightly grazing teeth against taut skin every so often, humming low in his throat.

Havoc writhed at the pleasure of it, sincerely grateful for his pride having died such a beautiful death. Moans and whimpers filled his ears, accompanied by a distant voice begging for release.

Roy swallowed impulsively, throat contracting around Havoc momentarily before he continued, faster, the scents that filled each breath and the slightly bitter taste with the salty tinge of sweat and other things distinctly _Jean_ only fueling his own desire more.

Havoc still had enough dignity not to do more than let out the hoarse cry that had been lurking in his throat when he came. It was a flash of sinful pleasure and a surge of heat warming a disturbingly cool body.

He lay there afterwards, feeling truly content for the first time in nearly four years.

Swallowing as much as he could and licking the rest clean, Roy moved back up next to Havoc, painfully aware of his own persistent arousal. He was sure that Jean noticed too, considering it was currently pressed firmly against his hip.

A lazy, tired smile graced Havoc's lips. "Now... what do _you_ want?" A cool hand gently caressed the back of Roy's neck. "I'm... open... to any suggestions."

Roy reached back and took the hand away from his neck, bringing it to his mouth as he took two fingers in and sucked for a minute before pulling back just enough to talk. "Your mouth... your tongue... your breath against me and your fingers inside me..." It was less of a request, more of a demand, that's just how he was.

Havoc rolled over, planting his hands on either side of Roy's shoulder. There was a devillish glint in eyes more blue than green. "You think you can not make a single sound?" he purred teasingly. He dipped his head and placed a hot, wet, biting kiss at the hollow of Roy's throat.

Roy hummed lightly, closing his eyes. "Would you prefer I not?"

"Just shut up, and don't make a sound. Please," he added, because it was his commanding officer, which made the entire conversation just slightly bizarre.

He kissed, licked, and nipped his way down Roy's chest and stomach. Slick fingers pushed in barely, teasing. His other hand played along Roy's side. He lightly licked Roy's tip, careful of his rough tongue.

Roy hissed through his teeth at the combination of sensations, biting back a groan and swallowing his voice.

"Very good," Havoc purred. "I didn't really expect you to try..." He licked again, nipping lightly in 'punishment' when Roy's hips bucked. "Ah-ah... stay still..."

Fingers slid in further, curling, twisting and touching.

Letting out a slow breath he didn't know he'd been holding, Roy just grinned, dark eyes not quite focusing on Havoc's face. _Thought you knew me better than that... you set the challenge... I'm going to rise to it..._ He swallowed hard again, forcing his body to relax against probing fingers.

Havoc set about his task with a high level of concentration, enjoying the game quite a bit. His tongue teased every inch of sensitive flesh. When Roy bucked violently, he knew he had hit that one particular spot...

It wasn't long before Roy's hips were rocking. _Up_ into the wet heat of Havoc's mouth and _down_ against skilled fingers working intently inside him. Either way he went was sending sparks of pure electric _fire_ up his spine to explode like fireworks behind his eyelids.

Of course by that time he'd nearly forgotten about keeping quiet, though not entirely, as only the faintest of gasps and moans escaped his throat. Something told Roy he should've bit them back, but he couldn't quite think of what that reason was at the moment.

Havoc noted the little verbal transgressions, and gradually stilled his pace. "What did I tell you?" he asked after stopping completely.

_Oh... Right..._ Roy fought back the rising urge to let out a desperate moan, stifling it in his throat as he swallowed again, nodding slowly. _Sorry... slipped my mind... Now please, continue, before I have to make that an order..._

A grin tugged at the corner of Havoc's mouth. Draping an arm casually across Roy's hips, he effectively pinned the older man. "_Well_, now... this is certainly a surprise," he drawled, before flicking his tongue against the sensitive slit. "You're _losing_." His fingers curled again.

Roy hissed audibly, struggling against the arm that pinned him from rocking his hips as he swallowed again, trying to slow his breathing as he jerked, still cut short by Havoc's arm.

Havoc lightly bit the inside of Roy's thigh, his sharp teeth making perfect little marks. "Keep _still_, otherwise I'm going to boot you out of bed..." The tone was light and mocking, but the threat was real enough. "And do I have to gag you to keep you quiet?"

His fingers kept moving even as his warm breath ghosted over Roy.

_Well that's an interesting idea..._ Roy did, however, fight to keep control of his movements, slightly ragged breaths and the occasional hiss through clenched teeth the only sounds he made.

After satisfying himself that Roy would in fact pay attention to the little rules set down, Havoc continued. His tongue ran down the underside, just enough pressure to make Roy's brain fritz out. His fingers kept moving, and he kept up his low, steady purr.

Hands fisted in the sheets, Roy was having a hard time keeping himself from moving at the same time as he tried to keep his body relaxed, considering every time he relaxed he was overwhelmed with the urge to thrust again and nearly did, tightening up with a slight wince. But he wouldn't say a word, wouldn't say a word. _Fuck..._

Havoc smiled privately to himself, swallowing Roy and still purring. His fingers stroked deep inside the man and his tongue teased him.

_This... will be interesting..._

Sweat glistened on Roy's skin in a thin sheen, and he had to swallow every time another lustful moan rose in his throat, cutting it off. His breaths were harsh and uneven, mostly because of his internal struggle to not respond as he usually would. Normally he could control himself... Really...

Havoc swallowed impulsively, then continued purring. His free hand danced across Roy's stomach, playing off all his sensitive spots. His other hand just kept working busily, trying to unstring Roy _just enough_ that he would make a sound...

Stomach muscles twitched under Havoc's fingers, and Roy was panting, but it wasn't _enough!_ He'd be damned if he was going to beg, though. Roy Mustang didn't beg. Period.

_Fuck! MORE dammit!_

Havoc slowed to a pace that could barely be called 'movement'. The purr dropped several notes, too low to be heard, but just intense to be felt.

_No shame in begging, really..._

_Oh, hell no..._

"_What the fuck are you waiting for..._" Roy had tried to make it sound angry, but his mind was a bit hazy still, and he only managed a light drawl that came out slightly whiny.

Havoc lifted his head, a semi-sweet, somewhat cruel smile on his face. "Ahh..." He rubbed the side of his face against the inside of Roy's thigh, much like a housecat. "My, my. I never expected you to fail so spectacularly, _Colonel_..."

Roy made an attempt at a growl. "You _were_ waiting for something though, _Lieutenant_..." He hissed as Havoc's fingers brushed just barely against just the right spot. "I decided I would at least give in on _my_ terms..." Mustang reached down, fingers twining into Jean's hair. "Now _hurry up_."

Havoc's eyebrows lifted. "Ri-ight. Always stubborn, aren't you."

Roy jerked his hips again, giving Jean an extremely heated look. "Is this any way to repay me for getting you off so quickly when you asked for it?"

"You didn't ask. You demanded. There's a difference."

"All you asked was that I keep quiet... though I kept up my end to the best of my ability, you slowed, you stopped, I think I at least deserve an answer as to _why_..."

"Because you weren't keeping quiet. Honestly, Roy, your short-term memory is shot."

"Or maybe it's yours... I got quiet again but then you _stopped again!_" It suddenly hit Roy that he was acting rather like a small child who wasn't getting his way...

The same thought struck Havoc and he began to chuckle.

Roy pouted a bit indignantly. "You don't have to _laugh_ about it you know..." He rocked his hips slightly, insistently. "But could you _please_ get on with it? This is starting to become a bit of a turn off..."

"_Much_ better..." Havoc purred, licking the tip. "You'll learn yet..." His fingers began to move again.

Roy groaned lightly. "That whole quiet thing still in effect or can I stop holding myself back?"

Havoc nipped thoughtlessly, thinking. "Oh, hell, why not? You've been a good boy so far."

That earned a huff. "So does that mean I have to shut up again?" Roy shuddered slightly.

"M'mm... What do you think" He licked again, hardly bothering to watch his tongue.

Roy groaned again, hissing through his teeth. "_Fuck_ I don't know! You're the one who's supposed to tell _me!_"

Havoc chuckled at that. "Well, I guess it's settled. Feel free to make as much noise as you want. But!" he added warningly as his fingers continued, "stay put. I _really_ don't want to have to kick you off the bed."

Roy purred at that, grinning. "Aa... enough delay then... hmm?"

"Right." He took Roy entirely into his mouth, returning to his previous pace.

Still, knowing that Lisa was upstairs, Roy kept the noise to a minimum of low, breathy moans. Sharp gasps accented each time Havoc's fingers hit just the right spot, earning an involuntary jerk of his hips.

Havoc giggled inwardly, impressed at Roy's consideration for their other housemates.

He stepped up the pace.

"Nnnggh_fuck_ Jean, _harder...!_" Roy would still deny that it had sounded more like a plea than an order, now and after the fact. And Jean would be the only one the wiser.

Havoc began to purr, moving both mouth and fingers faster and harder. It just wouldn't do for Roy to get pissy.

Hands fisted the sheets again, and for a moment Roy forgot where he was, moaning a bit louder than he'd meant to. His entire body quivered on the edge. _So fucking close...!_ "_Hhhn...god...!_"

_... speaking,_ Jean thought with a little grin. _Well... not exactly, but hey._ He pressed his tongue against Roy, his fingers making a determined little stroke right where it would do the most 'damage'.

And with that final bit of urging, Roy bit his lip, entire body tensing for a suspended moment of release before he practically melted into the mattress at his back, groaning as little flashes of white still sparked behind his eyelids, the aftereffects slowly dying down as he tried to catch his breath.

When everything was clean, Havoc loosed a cavernous yawn, curling up next to Roy. "M'mgh. Wake me up in the morning..." he mumbled, feeling ridiculously and pleasantly drowsy. He pillowed his head on an arm and immediately began drifting to sleep.

He _felt_ warm, but an acute observer would have noticed that his body temperature had dropped several degrees.

Fighting back a yawn of his own, Roy curled up against Havoc, pulling the sheets up just past both of their waists. He brushed away a few strands of light hair, smiling and placing a gentle kiss just above Havoc's brow before settling in to sleep.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	28. Oblivion, Clarity, and Relapse

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Oblivion, Clarity, and Relapse****

* * *

** **Rating: **PG-13 (Language, violence, implications...)  
**Pairings:** HavocxRoy, implied RoyxEd and HavocxEd  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers:** Oh hell I don't know anymore!  
**Setting:** Lisa Delgardie's house, Geriko.  
**Timeline:** The day after Roy, Ed, and Havoc arrive in Geriko.

* * *

When Havoc woke up, he was profoundly disoriented. Pitch-black room, slightly chilly on bare shoulders, a warm arm draped around his waist. 

He blinked, his vision adjusting acutely. He could pick out Roy, sleeping like a child, and the almost-too-soft sheets, pillows, and mattress. He yawned, rolling out of bed and snagging a pair of black trousers from underneath the bed and a black wool sweater.

He got dressed and tottered upstairs, wishing for a good cup of coffee with a brandy stiffener.

"You look like hell," Lisa commented. "Late night?"

He blushed. "Er..."

"I'm just teasing. Here, come help me peel some apples and I'll give you a nice cup of coffee." He trailed after her and was summarily sat down to peel apples, though a nice-smelling cup of coffee mysteriously seemed to pop up at his elbow.

"Apple pie, I hope?"

It wasn't too long before Roy awoke, due to the lack of a warm body to snuggle against. Yawning, he slid out from under the covers, cursing under his breath when his bare feet hit cold floor. Glancing around, he managed to find a pair of loose trousers, assumed they were there for Jean, and put them on anyway.

_Hm... a bit big... but comfortable_, Roy decided, stretching and trodding up the stairs barefooted still, pants clinging low on his hips.

Lisa put down the dough. "Thank heaven that's over!" she sighed. "Stirring pie dough is kind of annoying."

"I would have helped..."

She waved off Havoc's comment. "Should I put a solid crust over the top or a lattice crust...?"

"Lattice. It looks a lot better, and you can taste the apples better." He stretched and yawned. "Ugh. Is it just me, or is it kind of cold in here?"

Roy stifled another yawn upon entering the kitchen, the smell of coffee simply irresistible to his sleep muddled brain.

Havoc chuckled when he spotted his C.O. "Morning, sir," he said, pushing the question of heat difference away. "You look like hell."

Lisa snorted and went to fill a cup of coffee. "When you two are at least moderately functional, we need to discuss what you're going to do. You can't very well keep haunting my inn."

"Nngh..." It was the most intelligible reply anybody was getting out of Roy until he had his coffee, and, stifling yet another yawn, he padded forward on the pure need for the beverage.

"Oh, for..." Lisa set down a filled mug on the table right next to Havoc. "Is he _always_ like this in the morning?" she asked the pale-haired man.

He grinned. "Yeah. Can't string two coherent sounds together to save his life until he's had a cup of coffee. He's been like this for years." He shivered, pulling his heavy wool sweater closer.

Running his fingers through his toussled hair, Roy draped himself a bit inelegantly on Havoc's lap, warming his hands with the mug and sipping slowly.

Lisa did a combination of snort/choke/squawk/laugh. "Dear God in Heaven," she muttered, dumping cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, honey, and other ingredients into a saucepan. She turned on the heat. "You're both loony."

"Blame it on him," Havoc said, thereby absolving himself of any part in it. "I'm just passing through."

Roy grunted slightly, tugging at the pants that rid just a little too low and then glaring at Jean over his mug. "Liar..."

"Yup!" Havoc said cheerfully. He took a big sip of his coffee. "Well, now that you can say an actual word, you want me to go get the files so we can figure out what we're going to do?"

"...Give it a minute..." Roy sipped his coffee slowly, tension melting away from his muscles as he relaxed against Jean. "...'m comfy..."

Lisa resisted the urge to prang Mustang's head with a heavy sauteé pan. She settled for glaring instead.

Havoc just sighed.

Roy shuddered involuntarily at the sudden Ominous Air of Death And Destruction that seemed to be lurking over his shoulder. He then grinned behind his coffee cup. _Jealous, much?_

The tension between his C.O. and his doctor did not go unnoticed. _Dear lord, she's getting overprotective. I **know** she's old enough to be my mother, but still..._ Havoc cleared his throat.

"I think I'm going to get those files now."

Setting his mug down on the table again, Roy captured Jean's mouth without warning, tongue slipping past unguarded lips to sample the tastes inside before pulling back, contemplatively licking his lips. "Hnn... Had a little something extra in yours..."

With a small grin, Roy slid off of Havoc's lap. "I'm going to have a shower, we can look over those files when I'm done..." And with that, he walked off, pants still dangerously low with the gentle sway of his hips.

Havoc glanced over at Lisa, at a complete loss for words. Luckily, amusement shone out of her yellow eyes and her mouth curved into a smirk. "I thought you said he was more tactful than that."

"Usually he is. I think you put something in his coffee."

The smirk widened. "Maybe."

He sighed in annoyance. "Old meddler." He made it to the kitchen door before he started to falter.

His mug crashed to the ground and he followed not long after.

"_Jean!_"

Roy hadn't made it halfway up the stairs before the crash of porcelain and Lisa's scream had him back down and kneeling next to Havoc within a matter of seconds. "What the hell happened?"

Lisa stood in the kitchen doorway, eyes wide and blank. After the initial shock of what had happened passed, she realized what was going on. A grin of almost indecent triumph spread across her face. She threw her head back and began to laugh.

Roy sat back, glaring indignantly at the woman. "I can't seem to shake the feeling that I've been had..."

Lisa slid down the lintel, still laughing.

"Oh, Jean, I'm so glad you came back for the finish!" she finally gasped.

Running his fingers through his hair, Roy muttered something to himself. "Do you _mind_ enlightening me, Ma'am..."

"Oh, don't 'ma'am' me. I may be fifty-something years old, but I certainly don't feel it." She finally got herself under control, though she kept her place. "Jean's humanity is coming back." At the more-than-just-slighty-dubious look on Roy's face, she tried to clarify. "There's always a period of instability with a chimera, right after he's been reborn. It can include hypersensitivity, mild insanity, and a recurrent surfacing of the other half. If a chimera was truly properly made, there comes a breaking point. Jean's hit it. He's going to be himself again."

Roy huffed out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, shaking his head slightly. "How long is he going to be out like that?"

"Well..." She abruptly remembered something. "Help me get him down into my lab. There isn't anything breakable in there."

Roy lifted a brow at the breakable comment, but decided it was better that he just listened to this woman. She knew what was happening to Jean, and he didn't.

Nodding shortly, he carefully lifted Havoc off the floor, managing to balance his weight well enough to carry him.

"Follow me. And move quickly." She opened another, more unobtrusive door. "I'm not sure how long this comatose state will last. And he was crossed with a lion, so his waking will be much more violent than most." She began to descend the stairwell.

That worried Roy, and he hastily followed after her. "What exactly do you mean by that..."

"After the state of imperfection comes two states of refinement. Oblivion and Clarity. The peace of Oblivion allows the chimera to remember who he used to be, and slip that side closer to the surface. But the primal nature of the animal never gives up without a fight. Hence, the violence of Clarity."

She cursed violently. "Those _sodding bastards_ back in Central ordered him home as soon as he could walk without throwing up. They never took into account the fact that he could – and would! – have torn everyone around him limb from limb. Including you and Major Elric, had you been within reach. Clarity is a painful state."

"Despite being his commander, I was ill informed on this matter..." Roy looked around. "What now...?"

Lisa unlocked a heavy stone door. "You were probably ill informed because nobody bothered to care about it. Those poor people in Greed's company were left on their own. It's no real wonder that they're more than just slightly unhinged."

She moved into the stone laboratory, squinting to check that all of the Arrays were still undamaged. "Bring him in."

Roy stiffened slightly at the mention of Greed, shook his head, and stepped into the room, noting to himself that he would have to ask just what she knew about Greed and the others when he got the chance.

"Careful, the Array's carved deep – the last thing I need is for you to trip and hurt yourself. Hurry!"

Being the alchemist that he was, Roy took in the details of the array with a glance, nodding and, for once, blindly following commands as they were given.

Lisa felt vaguely uneasy. "No... Roy, put him down _now_."

An oddly synthesized growl emitted from Havoc.

"_RUN!_"

Roy cast an uneasy glance downwards, backing away from Jean. At the sound of the growl, his pace slowed, then halted completely. He couldn't pry his eyes away, couldn't move despite his brain screaming at his body to _move! Run you fucking IDIOT you're going to get yourself KILLED!_

Even as Havoc began to move, Lisa darted over his body with foxlike grace, grabbing Roy's wrist and making a break for it. The morbidly facinated man slowed her down considerably, and she had a sudden sickening feeling that Jean would go for their throats.

"Dammit man, _MOVE IT!_" she screamed.

Roy forced himself to pry his eyes off of Jean, finding his feet again and stumbling after Lisa.

Lisa shoved Mustang out into the short corridor in front of her lab, slamming the door shut just in time. A thud and dust drifting down from the ceiling made her believe even more ferverently that there was, in fact, a God.

Putting theological considerations aside, she grabbed hold of Mustang and slammed him back into a wall. "_What the hell were you THINKING!_" she hissed. "You could have gotten the _both_ of us killed! If you don't care about yourself, then think about Jean! It would kill him to know that he murdered you!"

Roy turned his head, shrugging her off without a word and clutching his shoulders briefly before walking off down the hall. He needed to be as far away from those horrible sounds as he could get.

And if he was shaking, he'd say it was cold.

"There's a bottle of brandy on the top shelf above the sink in the kitchen," she said softly, voice raw. "And if you could be so kind to turn off the stove, I'd be grateful."

Mustang held up a hand in a gesture of thanks before disappearing back up the stairs.

He shut off the stove without really thinking, searching out the brandy and dragging himself upstairs to his room.

"So. This is what it comes back to," she said softly, wincing at the noises. From personal experiences, she knew the pain and madness. "It's not fair that the two... all three of you should have to be put through this."

She turned and went upstairs to tell Mustang what to expect.

Roy sighed, back to the door as he sat on the bed and took a long pull directly from the bottle. What a way to start the day...

Lisa knocked gently on the door to Roy's room. "Roy?"

"What..." Roy felt too tired to be doing this... Just... tired of it all...

"I have an offer to make and something to tell you. Don't bother opening the door – what I have to say can be said from out here."

There was a grunt of consent from the other side of the door, followed by the clinking of a bottle being set on the bedside table and a heavy sigh to signal Roy was listening.

"Jean will be finished in an hour," she said calmly, totally unperturbed. "He'll need a shower and a change of clothing, but mostly, he'll need you. He needs a kind of comfort that I can't give him.

"If you'd like – and only if you want it – I can give you a sedative that will make you sleep for the next hour and a half to two hours."

"I'll be fine..." Roy curled up on the bed, feeling decidedly small and weak. Perhaps it was because he didn't have his gloves on... was hardly clothed...

"Lying _isn't_ a virtue, Roy. I'm entitled to worry about you, and I fully intend to. You showed up on my doorstep with someone who's as close as a brother to me, and he loves you, just as much as he loves that prickly mess of a human being downstairs."

"I don't need a sedative... I'll be here when he's through... You should go talk to Edward, he'll be up and moving soon, right?" Roy pulled the covers up to his chin.

Lisa's mouth twisted at the mention of Ed's name. "He won't be up for a few more hours. The last thing Jean needs to break his psyche is that... child saying what he did. That's what hastened this you know. Guilt and fear. Two very, very powerful motivators."

"It's not his fault... if I were in his position..." Roy paused. "No... I would've never made it as far as he has..."

"I don't understand," she said softly. "Why Jean keeps caring when that brat keeps hurting him. You heard what was said last night!

"I don't understand. Is this what you perceive as strength? The ability to hurt people so badly that they're broken and bleeding inside? The ability to brush off the pain of others because you're more important?

"Major Elric was right, in a roundabout fashion. Jean _will_ die. It _will_ kill Jean if it keeps up. He can't take that kind of abuse."

"He was dealing with his own rebound, it can't be helped... Jean's words were hurting him too... Look, if that's all... I'd like to be alone..." Roy's words were muffled under the blankets.

"Of course. Forgive me for interrupting."

Havoc came to and groaned, feeling horrible. Ill. Beaten. But... strangely, transparently happy.

Roy shifted slightly, pulling the covers tighter around his half naked frame. _Can't even protect the ones I love..._

Havoc creaked to his feet, wondering why the hell he was downstairs. And why he hurt, felt sick and that he just wanted a nice long hug.

Lisa made her way down to her lab, frowning when no more sounds emerged from the chamber except for idiotically happy laughter.

Sitting up, Roy shook his head, reaching over for the bottle of brandy and taking another pull before slumping back to stare at the ceiling again.

Lisa cracked open the door. There was Havoc, happy as anything, crosslegged a few yards out. He waved cheerfully, sapphire blue eyes shining. "Hi. I'm hungry."

She laughed out loud, tackling him in a tight hug.

Waiting, Roy decided, wasn't the hard part. The part that was hard was having too much to think about while waiting.

Lisa tugged her friend to his feet, ignoring the raw red patches scraped across his body. "Come on, Roy's in the doldrums, I think you should try to snap him out of it." She paused, looking at his face. He was still the same as before... except his eyes were a beautiful shade of deep sapphire blue.

He grinned. "I'll go pounce on him to make him feel better."

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Roy scowled to himself, taking yet another pull from the bottle. "Fuck... Just don't make shit like this back in Central..."

Lisa tousled Havoc's hair. It was quite a stretch. "Well, go scrape him up from his bed, get him bathed, clothed, and sober. We need to talk." She ran an eye over his scrapes. "_And_ get you disinfected."

Havoc groaned, trudging upstairs. As he got closer to Roy's room, an evil idea blossomed in his head. Stopping right outside the door, he grinned, took a deep breath, and bellowed.

"OY, MUSTANG. GET YOUR LAZY ARSE OUT OF BED AND FALL OUT! MOVE IT!"

A perfect imitation of Drill Sergent Tant, who was the only man in Central who could cow Roy.

There was the sound of a crash, like broken glass, followed by a rather loud thud and a rather creative string of curses.

A shout of laughter drifted from upstairs – as a fox, Lisa had exceptional hearing, and it didn't help that Roy's room was straight above the kitchen.

Havoc held back his giggles long enough to open the door. Then, when he saw Roy flat and tangled in blankets, he totally lost it. He collapsed to the floor, laughing hysterically.

Roy winced, massaging his temples and getting shakily to his feet, collapsing back on the bed. "Keep it down will you, that fucking hurts..."

Havoc's laughter slowly died to a purr. "What did I tell you about your drinking?" he said, getting up and opening the closet. "It's not healthy." He turned around, dress shirt and trousers in hand and mock-glared at his superior. "Trust me, if you get drunk, you _don't_ want to drink what Lisa makes up to cure it. Hardened Ishbarite tavern-goers go green at the smell of it. A coddled military pansy like yourself would faint dead away at it."

He _really_ liked taking a page out of Drill Sergent Tant's book.

That earned Jean a heated glare back, before Roy decided that hurt his eyes. "I can sleep it off..." He rolled over, pulling the covers back up over his shoulders again and pulling one of the two pillows up under his head. "C'mere..."

Sapphire eyes twinkled benignly at Roy. "Not until you clean out that mouth of yours," he said sweetly. "I heard some distinctly ungentlemanly things about my immediate ancestry and (not untrue) things about my sexual preference. Come on, scrape yourself up, otherwise I'm going to toss you into the cistern myself."

And that earned a growl. "Dammit Jean just c'mere already..."

Havoc snorted. "What part of 'no' don't you understand? We're working under a time limit here." Though there was a light, cheerful veneer over his tone, there was something cold and deadly serious underneath. He grabbed Roy's arm, unceremoniously hauling him out of bed with a thwump.

"You said it yourself I'm not getting within fifty feet of whatever your friend cooks up, so I think I'll just stay here... If you're that damn impatient you can go yourself... I need to fucking sleep..." Roy stared up at Jean.

"I most certainly did not!" Havoc said with asperity. "I just said it was a pretty rotten idea." He dragged Roy to the bathroom and began running a hot bath. "What the hell were you doing with alcohol at a time like this, anyway?"

"Blame her for telling me where it was..." Roy leaned heavily against Jean, burying his face against the taller man's shoulder.

"I'm not blaming anyone for anything. I just want to know why you were curled up in bed with a bottle of brandy. You usually don't do that unless something's really wrong," he said gently. He got out a bar of soap and a huge fluffy towel. "Come on, strip down and into the tub."

"You've got no idea what just happened if you don't understand why I did it... And you say strip like I'm actually wearing clothes..." A short tug sent the loose pants Roy was wearing to the floor, and, as requested, he stepped into the bath, slowly sinking into the water with a sigh.

"Should I know what just happened?" Havoc asked, damping the soap and rubbing it onto a wet washcloth. He tossed it to Roy. "Here. But... nothing's wrong besides the usual shit. I feel better than I have for _years_. You look like somebody was about ready to die."

"Yeah... I know..." Roy opened his eyes and looked to Jean. "C'mere now..."

"Not until I get patched up." He rubbed a particularly nasty gouge that had started bleeding again. "I'm under strict orders. Now, tell me what was going on."

Roy frowned. "She'll probably want to tell you that part... And get over here dammit I'm not saying a thing until you do!"

"If she hasn't told me by now, then she probably wants somebody _other_ than her to tell me." He drifted over and sat on the edge, the look in his blue eyes a clear warning for Roy to not do anything stupid.

Hair still dry, Roy rested his head against Jean's leg. "Like hell I'm risking pissing her off..."

Havoc blinked. "She's not that bad. Sure, she gets a little testy when she's annoyed." His hand affectionately ran through Roy's hair. "Doesn't everybody?"

"S'not the point... I'm not going to say a thing about it until she says it's okay, and I'd rather not be the one to say it anyway..." Roy sighed, tilting his head to look up at Jean.

"What can be so horrible about it?" Something twigged at the expression on Roy's face. "I didn't kill anybody, did I?"

Roy shook his head, reaching up and brushing his hand against Jean's face. "No... You scared me though..."

"What did I do?" The steely tone brooked no argument, and there was a grim flicker in blue eyes. "Stop dancing around the issue and tell me. If I scared you that badly, I don't want to do it again."

"You're not going to do it again, it was a one time thing..." Roy nestled his head back in Jean's lap again, arms, despite being wet, wrapping around his waist.

Havoc looked down, nonplussed. "Thanks for dancing around the issue. Why won't you tell me? The least you can do is trust me that far." He winced as one of Roy's arms pressed against a cut in his side. "And I'd like to know why I look like I was caught in a crossfire of flak and shrapnel, thank you very much."

Hearing Jean wince, Roy loosed his arms slightly, lifting his head to let half closed eyes settle lazily on a relatively light cut. He sighed, tilting his head slightly then and letting his tongue trace lightly over the wound on Havoc's side.

Havoc jumped, startled, when he felt Roy's tongue touch him. "What the..." As if the warm, wet touch was some kind of trigger, every single cut, scratch, gouge, wound, and raw patch started aching together. He hissed between clenched teeth.

"Get in so we can get you cleaned up..." Roy pulled back, tearing what little material still held Jean's shirt on so that the scraps just fell to the floor.

"Hell, no!" Havoc groaned. "It hurts too much to move..."

"It'll feel better after a minute, trust me. Just get in..."

Havoc eyed the steaming water warily. "No it won't."

"I'd rather not have to pull you in, Jean..." Roy hooked his thumbs under the waistband of Havoc's pants.

"You wouldn't dare..."

"Yes I would, now you either come willingly, or the pants come too, because I can't get them off with you sitting on the edge like that."

"For pity's sake, what don't you understand about 'no'? It's not that difficult of a concept!"

"You should know me better than that, Jean, I'm hurt. Now get your ass in here!" Roy slipped his arms around Havoc's waist suddenly, pulling him back to splash into the water, still in his pants.

Havoc let out something close to a scream of pain. _Damn_, the water was way too hot and some of those cuts were much too deep...

"Quit hyperfocusing and calm down..." Roy growled lightly. "Damn, woman didn't even give you some painkillers before she sent you up to drag me out of bed? Relax! It'll hurt for a minute, I'm going to check those wounds... Sit up..."

Thinly healed crusts across the deepest cuts on his chest and shoulders tore open, and soon the water around him was tinged pink.

"When I feel better, you're _so_ in for it," he growled through gritted teeth, obeying the orders.

Roy sighed, taking the washcloth that had been thrown at him earlier and lightly dabbing away dirt and dried blood off the cuts on Havoc's back. "Bear with me okay..." He leaned forward to gently kiss an unscathed region near Jean's neck and shoulder. "Did your... did Miss Delgardie ever tell you about Oblivion and Clarity..."

"You know I hate alchemy," he said shortly, as if that answered it. He cringed at the light touch of rough cloth on chafed skin. "I've never understood any of it, nor do I want to. And her name is Lisa, by the way."

"They're stages of a perfect chimerical transmutation, Jean..." Roy wrung out the cloth, soaking it in the water again once he'd finished with Havoc's back. "Lean back again, I need to reach your chest..."

Havoc leaned back, hissing as open wounds met hot water. "What do you mean, stages? Look, Roy, if you're going to explain this to me, pretend I have no idea what the hell you're talking about."

"You passed out a couple of hours ago... Lisa explained to me that this was the stage of Oblivion, in which your human side would be drug up to the surface..." Roy started to dab at the cuts on Havoc's chest. "After Oblivion comes Clarity, which as I've been informed is a very painful stage... The beast doesn't go down without a fight... You... were violent..."

"Violent?" Havoc squeaked, blue eyes troubled. "What do you mean by violent?"

"Lisa locked you downstairs in her lab...barely got me out before you woke up... it... scared me... The look in your eyes then..." Roy paused, leaning down to kiss Jean's forehead before burying his face against his neck. "I couldn't even move..." he murmured against Havoc's neck.

Havoc breathed shallowly, shocked by the admission of fear. It must have been horrible indeed to frighten Roy Mustang that badly.

"How... how bad was it..."

"One more second and you would've killed both of us, but it's over now..._ It's over..._" Roy resisted the urge to tighten his grip, knowing that would just hurt Jean more. "You're more yourself now..."

Havoc was struck dumb. "Is that how... I got to be such a mess? Did I do this to myself?" His voice rose, slightly hysterical.

"My guess is that it was from trying to get out of that room... but I don't know..." Roy ran his fingers through Havoc's hair in what he hoped was a comforting manner, though his hands were shaking. _Gods_ he just wanted to taste those lips again, anything to distract him from having to talk about all this.

"And you _swear_ that it'll never happen again?" Havoc demanded, blue eyes haunted.

"From what I gathered up with what Lisa told me, I'm as positive as I can be about the matter, Jean..." Roy was sure he heard his voice quiver for just a moment.

"I'm sorry I asked..." he said shakily. "Now I know I'm going to have nightmares..."

"It wasn't something that could be helped... It was going to happen sooner or later, we were just lucky you were here when it did... It... It'll be fine... I... trust me... Let's just let it go for now..." Roy settled for tracing along the rim of Havoc's ear for the moment, fingers idly brushing against the fabric still covering Jean's legs.

Havoc abruptly leaned forward, resting his arms and chin on drawn-up knees. There was still a lot that he hadn't been told, he knew that. He also knew that it wasn't Roy's fault – some things were better left alone for some people. And if _this_ much information had driven Roy to drink, he wasn't quite sure what the entire story would have done.

He shivered.

Caution thrown to the wind, Roy pulled Jean back against his chest again, holding him there tightly as he buried his face in the crook of Havoc's neck.

Havoc absently reached up, stroking Roy's messy hair. He was still thinking.

A scolding nip was placed at the base of Havoc's ear and Roy growled slightly. "You're thinking... That's the last thing you need to be doing right now, so quit it..." Fingers danced up Havoc's thighs as Roy planted tender, pleading kisses along his neck and as much of his jaw as he could reach. "Plenty of time to think later..." he murmured at the base of Jean's ear.

Havoc obeyed, but only up to a point. He stopped thinking, but started worrying instead.

Why had he been ordered back to Central when there were obviously alchemists there...? He sat bolt upright and scrambled out of the tub.

"Dammit, we are some of the stupidest people alive!"

Mind still a bit hazy from the alcohol, Roy nearly slipped stepping out of the tub himself, knocking his head against the showerhead with a curse and staring with one eye closed at Jean. "What is it _now_..."

Havoc tossed Roy a towel. "I was brought back to Central before I was fully complete, right? There are _hundreds_ of State Alchemists there, so one or two of them must have known how stupid a move like that was. But the two alchemists who were studying chimerical transmutations were killed.

"Somebody _wanted_ me to be uncontrolled. They wanted you, me, and Edward dead. It was a foolproof plan, really. I'd go crazy, you and Ed would come in to see what was wrong, I'd kill you, then be put down because I'm dangerous. All three of us dead within a day."

Roy groaned, wrapping the towel around his waist and not bothering with drying off. "Fuck... Who the fuck ordered you back... Somebody's got high connections in the military... Who besides me _could_ give that kind of order?" As though the clouds had suddenly parted, the color slowly drained from Roy's skin. "_Fuck..._"

"That can't be a good thing – you've said 'fuck' three times, and the last time you did that, we were hit dead-on with a shell."

Roy sank to his knees, staring at the floor blankly. "Bradley... The gaps in information on his secretary, the way he always _knows_... Why the hell didn't I see it before..."

Havoc's jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding! I know he's a bit... odd... but he wouldn't try to actually _kill_ any of us?"

"I know... And the Homunculi wanted to keep Edward alive to transmute the Philosopher's Stone, but..." Roy rubbed his temples. "My only guess is that their orders have changed..."

Havoc felt like banging his head against the wall. "This is ridiculous!" he yelled suddenly. "These mutant monsters are ten steps ahead of us, and the next thing we know, we're in checkmate! I'd just like the world to make sense for _five fucking minutes!_"

"They're good... too good... Somewhere they had to have made a mistake..." Roy shakily got to his feet, heading for the bathroom door. "Get out of those pants, Jean, that can't be comfortable..." And with that he went to get some clothes, head finally clearing.

Havoc stalked after him. "Yeah, they made a mistake. Three of them, actually. They let me live after the Ishbar incident, they let the three of us slip through their fingers, and they allowed us to hook up with Lisa. I think that Lisa's the key to all of this."

He pulled a pair of pants out of a drawer, changing quickly. "Whatever happens, Roy, Ashton Fawkes is _mine_."

"I've no qualms with you holding a personal vendetta, Jean, but don't get reckless, please... I think I'll take that viper woman's head for Hughes' death myself..." Roy tugged on his gloves, fastening the hooks and clasps of his uniform without a second thought before remembering where they were. He groaned inwardly, hiding his face in his palms and running his fingers through his hair. "Dammit... force of habit..."

Havoc chuckled. "Lisa won't care, come on. I need something sweet and fattening to eat." A twinge from his back made him wince. "And get a gallon of antiseptics dumped on me, but that's beside the point." He left the room, sliding down the bannister like a little kid.

Roy effectively masked skepticism as he followed Jean down the stairs, hands in his pockets.

Lisa looked up with an affectionate smile as Havoc came barreling into the kitchen. "Pancakes," she said, pointing to a still-steaming stack. "There's more than enough for you and Roy to share."

"Strawberry!" he said happily. "Lisa, you're an angel! Will you marry me?"

She burst out laughing. "I doubt that Roy would take that kindly," she said, smiling affectionately. "Though... if it was made in all seriousness, I may have to say yes..."

Roy pointedly ignored that statement, though the atmosphere in the room most certainly seemed to take on a rather ominous air as he sat at the table in trained silence.

The two chimerae exchanged a glance and burst out laughing. Havoc grabbed a pancake and stuffed it in his mouth. "Lighten up, Colonel!" he said around the wad of dough. "It'd be like marrying my sister!"

"Agreed," Lisa said, shooting a look at Havoc and putting pancakes on a plate for him. "We're too closely related by blood for my comfort or his."

Roy ignored the laughter as well, simply mulling over his thoughts...

"He ignored us," Lisa commented.

"Well, he'll get it when I call Ashton 'cousin'," Havoc said cheerfully. "If he's not too busy trying to turn somebody into a hamburger."

"Which you know will happen."

"Of course. He has a remarkable ability to ignore me at any and all times." Havoc munched on another pancake, happy that he could finally eat normal food again. "When he's out of his sulk, we need to speak about something."

Roy shot a cold glare at Havoc across the table. "Keep that up and there might not be enough left of you for Fawkes to scrape off the sidewalk..."

Havoc sighed, his previous good mood disintegrating rapidly. "What's _wrong_ with you? Are you annoyed because I was flirting with a _cousin?_"

Roy diverted his gaze to the table again, slouching with his chin resting on crossed hands. _Damn that Fawkes... Sorry, Jean, but I might have to deny you Ashton's murder..._

Havoc wadded up a pancake into a little ball and bounced it expertly off of Roy's head. "What's wrong?" he asked gently.

Roy didn't even realize how uptight he'd been until it was almost too late, and with a horrified expression he dropped his hand as the tiniest of alchemical explosions jumped from his fingertips.

He opened his mouth to say something, but clenched his jaw shut again just moments after, a bit of a wild look in his eyes as he pushed back his chair and stood, shaking his head as he walked straight for the room in which he'd left Edward.

"Let him go," Lisa advised. "Something's wrong –"

"Yeah, and I want to know what it is!"

"But he very obviously doesn't want you to know," she pointed out prosaically. She checked the clock above the stove. "Major Elric will be up soon..."

"Wonderful!" he growled. "Just wonderful. Is there any work that I can do for you?"

"Follow me. You can help pump up the cistern. And fix the ball-cock, I think I did something to it..." They wandered off, chatting about plumbing.

-

It hadn't been but fifteen minutes before the sound of shouting arose, abruptly cut off with a loud thud and the clatter of breaking glass from Edward's room.

Havoc looked up from the greasy mechanics he was working on. "What the hell?"

Lisa sighed, just as equally covered with grease and oil. "I'm assuming Elric is awake. Shall we go see what the ruckus is?"

Groaning, they both tottered off to see what was the matter.

Several more dull thuds signaled something banging against a wall deftly, and as the two chimeras neared the room a voice could be heard.

"Worthless fucking human!" _THUD!_ Followed by the sound of a sickeningly cold laugh. "Pathetic!"

Roy's vision blurred, blacked out momentarily, and returned just as blurry. He coughed, unaware of his hands tightening on a metal arm, unaware of how much time had passed, only sickeningly aware of the blobby looking splotch of yellow that dominated his line of sight, and the feeling of vertigo that suddenly swept over him.

Havoc kicked open the door, suddenly feeling very militant. His eyes blazed blue-green at the scene before him.

Lisa screamed, eyes wide in horror.

Slitted violet eyes narrowed on Havoc as he kicked in the door, but a wicked smirk still settled on Ed's lips. He'd pinned Roy to the wall with an automail hand at his neck, crouched slightly on the overturned bedside table and ignoring the pathetic hands clawing at his arm that continued to get weaker the longer he held on.

In a rush of rage, sapphire turned completely into green-gold. With a feral snarl, Havoc barreled after the homunculus, fangs bared and claws out.

He felt sharp points sink into warm flesh, and his bloodlust was up.

"Jean _stop!_" Lisa cried.

Ed chuckled, outright laughed, releasing Roy with a glint in his eyes as he pushed up and off of Jean, blood trailing from where claws had dug into his skin as he came back around with the full brunt of an automail shin slamming into the side of Havoc's head.

Roy shuddered and choked, gasping for breath and collapsing to the floor. Coughing, he barely registered the sticky red liquid on his hand that had come from his own mouth before his vision blacked out completely and he lapsed into unconsciousness.

Lisa had knelt to help Roy, and stared, horrified, at the casual brutality with which Elric had moved to dispatch Jean.

Havoc slammed back against the wall with a pitiful yelp. He shook his head woozily, then snarled at the monster opposite. He _had_ to get enough time for his master to get out of there!

He launched again, this time careful of automail arm and leg. His teeth latched onto Edward's flesh shoulder. He jerked himself back, tearing a nasty gouge into the shoulder.

His eyes slowly turned completely gold.

In an instant of raw pain violet eyes flickered gold, even if momentarily, and Ed staggered slightly, hesitating. Almost instantly, though, his eyes were violet again, and he clapped his hands together, the blue crackle of alchemical light drowning the room, as the doors were melded into the walls.

Edward paused then, tilting his head as he watched the blood run down his arm and then grinning as he took the time to lick crimson rivulets from his fingers.

Havoc could feel blood trickling down his bare arms, chest, and back, but it only served to highten the bloodlust. Slit-pupiled, golden eyes narrowed, bloody teeth bared. _Monster... we're both monsters, aren't we?_

He flew forward again, aiming for Elric's throat.

Lisa clapped her hands in a familliar gesture, putting them down on the floor and 'growing' a three-foot-thick wall between them and the two fighting beasts.

She slipped a small white stone from her pocket and set to work fixing the worst of the damage Roy had sustained.

Ed's automail fist connected with Havoc's jaw, shortly followed by his knee to Havoc's gut, as Ed caught him up by the throat just as he'd done Roy. "So all that hard work didn't even pay off did it?"

Havoc just smiled, and began to laugh. It wasn't pleasant, the hoarse, cold laughter of a man condemned to death. "_It was worth it_."

Unbeknownst to Edward, Lisa and Roy had escaped.

"Was it really? Is stepping into the realm of 'god' ever really _worth it?_" Edward was calm, despite the heavy damage. "And what kind of a person is she to leave you here to die, Jean, really?"

Havoc just continued to laugh.

Ed narrowed his eyes further, slamming Havoc's head back against the wall. "The fuck is so goddamn funny!"

"So this is how far you've fallen... a truly pathetic sight..."

"You should've just killed the pathetic kid while you had the chance, Jean, should've killed him... Edward Elric has been dead for three fucking years! You had the chance to send him back, you fucked that chance, now he's never coming back..." The wicked grin that spread across those lips was far from anything Ed would ever wear.

Havoc lashed out, scoring four deep cuts across his opponent's face. "I had hope. Hell, I still have it. So kill me, if you think you can. I've been through it once, and I've had my fair share of life and love." There was something indecently triumphant in sapphire eyes.

Ed backed up, dropping his arm to his side as he stared blankly at Havoc as the blood ran down his face. His left eye shifted colors back to gold slowly, and suddenly it was white hot pain driving through his nerves, leaving him on his knees and trembling.

Havoc himself dropped down, finally realizing how much damage he had taken. He doubled over, breathing painfully.

"Goddamn... gopher..."

Ed stared blankly, numbly ahead. _Jean..._ "H-... wh-... Jean..." He tried to reach out, but was faced with a blinding pain through his left shoulder and halted, eyes barely focusing enough to see the blood pooled around his hand in horror.

Havoc somehow managed to get over to Ed and cradled him gently. "It'll be okay, Ed. Once Lisa's done patching Roy up, she'll fix you." He yanked out a large square of linen he found in his pocket, wadding it up and gently placing it on the massive, bruised, bleeding mess of Ed's shoulder. "I'm sorry Ed. You'll be okay..."

"Wh-...-at... h-happened..." Ed swallowed, biting back a yelp of pain.

"Shh. That's not a question I can answer." He spoke gently, running fingers over the cuts on Ed's face. He'd have to make sure those got looked to soon. He couldn't swear that his claws were clean. "Relax. You're safe now, I won't hurt you."

Ed whimpered, jerking back slightly. "That _hurts_... why... Jean..." Tears mingled with the blood that dripped down his face, stinging the cuts as he looked up at Havoc.

"Why what?" He took on the tone of voice that he had used with shellshocked soldiers, gentle, kind, understanding. He took a deep breath and winced at a sharp biting pain in his side. "Relax, Ed. No one's going to hurt you anymore."

"Can't..." Ed jerked slightly, vision having blacked out for a second as his head tilted forward. "Light... dizzy..."

"Close your eyes, and if you have to pass out, do it. It'll help you calm down and heal faster," Lisa's voice said softly. She was standing over the two men, the white stone in hand. "We're both here to help you."

She knelt down, touching the unscarred half of Ed's face. "You're hurt badly, but it's nothing I can't fix, all right?"

Edward stared blankly at the white stone in Lisa's hand. "W-wha... i... is that... A... Al..." Ed's voice tapered off as consciousness escaped him, eyes closing slowly as his body went limp.

Wordlessly, Lisa used the stone to heal the mess of Ed's shoulder. "That should keep the bloodloss to a minimum," she said quietly. "I'll let him keep the wounds on his cheek. He needs a lesson, anyway."

She reached over to Havoc. "A concussion, cracked skull, broken ribs, internal bleeding... you're very definitely lucky to be alive, Jean. He would have killed you."

"I guess it really isn't my day..." He groaned as he felt a lessening of pressure in his skull and his ribs popped back into place. "What the hell is that thing, anyway?"

"It's the Albino Stone, a few steps down from a Philosopher's Stone. I use it for healing when normal methods won't work." She stood. "You're good to go. Take it easy, though, you're not fit to do any more fighting."

He stood. "And Roy?"

"Fine... physically at least..." Roy knelt behind Jean, arms draped around his neck. He sighed, resting his head on Havoc's shoulder and looking at Edward, then closed his eyes. "I believe there is some explaining to be done, however, concerning how it is you are in possession of an Albedo, Miss Delgardie..."

Lisa colored up from embarrassment. "Um."

Havoc lifted his eyebrows. "This should be good..."

"It has to do with a bottle of wine, a honeymoon, and my parents," she said all in a rush. "_Please_ don't ask any more."

Havoc began to chuckle, though painfully.

"So the rumors are true about those kinds of arrays then? Fascinating..." Mustang simply grinned. "I'm amazed though at your talent to have been able to create such a stone in the first place... And... I suppose being a chimera that you obtained the Nigredo, the prima materia, through that..."

Lisa blushed even brighter red. Havoc lapsed into snorting giggles, his mind finally running away from him.

She glared at him. "Can it, flyboy."

He started gasping painfully, the ache in his ribs refusing to go away. "Lisa, I can't believe you actually did that!" he said with a faint grin.

Roy suddenly shifted moods, pulling Jean back against his chest and nestling his head in the crook of the blond's neck. "Do me a favor, Jean... and don't go doing stupid things like that again okay..."

Lisa, knowing her cue when she saw it, got up and disappeared, determined to get her apple pie finished in time for lunch.

"I'm sorry. I can't help it – it's part of my programming. When someone I care for is getting hurt, I have to act." He reached up and ruffled the black mop of hair by his ear. "You can't tame someone who's half-wild, sir..."

"I don't care... You could've gotten yourself killed, there had to be a way other than provoking him like that..." Roy's grip tightened slightly. Something warm and wet dripped down onto Jean's shoulder. "I _told_ you not to do anything _stupid_..."

"Shh... it's okay..." he soothed. But Roy gave him pause for thought.

Ever since his transmutation, he had assumed that he was immortal. He had taken it for granted that he wouldn't die until he had taken out Fawkes and as many of the Predator gang he could get his claws on before they killed him.

But mortality was frighteningly real. Too real for comfort, and the fact that he would have killed Ed or Ed would have killed him was almost too much.

(A/N: The idea of the Nigredo, Albedo, Citrinas and Rubedo, as well as tantric arrays borrowed from Sleeps With Coyotes' fic "Altered States", that story is sexy love.)

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	29. Of Love, Anger, and Apprehension

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Of Love, Anger, and Apprehension****

* * *

** **Rating:**R (Language, violence, SEX! But the sex is mostly at the beginning. Plot's about halfway in.)  
**Pairings:** HavocxRoy, HavocxEd, RoyxEd, or generally, HavocxRoyxEd  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers:** Oh hell I don't know anymore!  
**Setting:** Lisa Delgardie's house, Geriko.  
**Timeline:** The day after Roy, Ed, and Havoc arrive in Geriko.

* * *

"_Dammit Jean..._" Roy tightened his grip again. "_Dammit..._" 

Havoc sat there, his hands clenched tight. There was nothing he could do or say at this point.

He dearly wished he could cry.

"How many have I lost already... _I can't lose you... if I do I'll break..._"

Havoc half-turned so he was looking into deep obsidian eyes. He smiled lovingly. "I'd never do that to you, not in a thousand years."

"_You almost did just now though..._" Roy shook his head lightly.

"Not a chance," he said. "Not a chance in the world. Give me a little credit, will you? I'm a lot tougher than I look."

It was only half of a lie. He would have held out much longer, but in the end, he probably _would_ have died. No use in telling Roy that...

"It's that attitude that's going to get you killed, Jean..." Roy brushed his hand against Havoc's face.

"No it won't." Havoc shook his head, rubbing his thumb against the inside of Roy's wrist. "I know my strengths and limitations. All I ask is that you trust me on this one."

"You nearly got yourself killed just now, you expect me to just trust that you're going to be okay? I worry you know..." Roy brushed his lips against Havoc's. "Can we forget about today... just for a little while..."

"Be gentle. I'm still sore in a lot of places..." He kissed Roy fully, tongue slipping in.

Yes... forgetting the horrors of the morning would be a nice thing...

Roy ran his fingers through Jean's hair, mouth yielding to the other man's tongue as, for once, he relinquished all control, trusting Havoc fully.

Edward stirred slightly, two-toned eyes flickering open to Jean and Roy as he felt something squirm in the pit of his stomach. He started to crawl forward, only to feel a sharp jolt of pain up the length of his left arm right to his shoulder, ending up draped across Havoc's back.

That they would do something like this right there in front of him, he surmised that it was best not to say a word. Instead, he settled for licking up Jean's neck to trace the edge of his ear, drawn in by the growing air of raw _need_.

Havoc purred at the warm tongue running over his neck. One hand slid up Roy's neck to bury into his black hair, the other resting on his back. He nipped at Roy's lower lip, enjoying the small surrender.

He ran his teeth gently down Roy's throat, licking at the faded bruises.

Roy shivered slightly, tilting his head to the side for easier access to his neck as he lifted his other arm to toy with the tie that held Ed's hair together just below the thick plait.

Lithe fingers traced down Roy's arms, one at a time, undoing the buttons at the cuffs of his uniform and moving on to the front. Ed gave a frustrated growl as he fidgeted with the buttons and clasps, mentally cursing the complexity of military uniforms.

Havoc neatly unbuttoned Roy's jacket, chuckling a little to himself at Ed's impatience. He gently bit the hollow of Roy's throat.

Ed mimicked Havoc's action on his own neck, biting a bit harder than usual to show his irritation at being shown up on undressing Roy. He could do it better any day, he was just trying not to screw up Roy's uniform by shredding it via alchemy.

Roy's fingers gently combed out Ed's braid, so that a golden veil cascaded down over his shoulders. He then shrugged out of the jacket, moving just enough so he could unbutton his own shirt and just enough to notice Ed's hands working with Jean's shirt.

When Edward's eyes flickered to his, Roy obeyed, leaning forward and into the kiss that was offered.

Havoc growled squeakily, his abused ribs protesting being squeezed between two rather unyielding bodies.

Ed slipped the shirt off of Havoc's shoulders, breaking away from Roy as his head dropped to nip and suck at Jean's neck not so gently. He deftly flicked open Havoc's pants and slipped cool automail into his boxers.

Roy sighed at the loss of contact, moving to kiss along Havoc's jawline and up to his mouth, fingertips teasing a nipple as he nibbled pleadingly on Jean's lower lip.

Havoc loosed a startled gasp that settled slowly into a purr. He allowed his head to drop back against Ed's shoulder, hands running lazily through Roy's hair.

Automail shifted slightly, cool metal slowly stroking against hot skin, fisting lightly after pushing down the offending fabric. Ed slid his left hand down to his own pants, wasting no time in freeing himself from the confines of tight leather and making his arousal very known against the small of Havoc's back.

Roy scooted closer to Jean, one hand trailing down Ed's bare back and slipping past the waistline of his pants, squeezing his ass, the other hand leaving Havoc's nipple and tracing down his side as his mouth left the other man's to trail love bites down his neck.

Gentle nips were placed along Jean's collarbone, and a hot tongue left a trail of saliva down his chest, circling the same nipple his fingers had been teasing earlier before he bit lightly and licked to soothe it before sucking.

Havoc sharply sucked in a gasp of air, his eyes becoming unfocused. Ed's hand was pleasantly cold, and _dammit_ Roy was too good at this by far. A soft growl purred out, Havoc turning his head to bite possessively at the side of Ed's neck.

The youngest of the three hissed slightly as the feel of sharp points pressed roughly against his skin. Ed moved slightly, just enough to rub himself against Jean's back as he returned the bite, this time to Havoc's shoulder, and lightly squeezed with his right hand before releasing.

The cool metal fingers trailed up, brushing with a surprisingly light touch against an already pert nipple, the one not occupied by Roy's mouth, before pinching softly.

Experience led Roy downwards, lips and teeth and tongue running down the slightly salty path that Edward had traced up. He let out a light sound of irritation at the fabric that still clung to Jean's hips, followed by a swift nip at the base to earn the reflexive thrust, which allowed Roy to slide the impending articles clear down to Jean's knees.

He was painfully aware of his own condition, as well as the fact that he really wasn't receiving any attentions at all, but he let that pass in his subconscious will to simply give up all control and be led back out of this hell he'd found himself thrown into. It was this unconscious submission that had him wresting off Jean's socks and pulling the rest down with them. It was this that had Roy Mustang kneeling between his subordinate's legs, dark eyes gazing upwards, pliable, waiting for instruction this time.

Havoc gazed affectionately at his superior officer, his hand caressing neck and jaw, then drifting over to lightly run through his hair.

"_Follow your bliss..._"

Roy simply gazed back still. '_Tell me,_' his eyes whispered, '_Tell me what to do and I will... I'm a slave to your desires, use me..._'

'_I won't tell... I'll ask..._'

Havoc applied a gentle pressure, smiling wryly. "We've been through this before, Roy."

Ed wrestled with his own pants for a second before tossing them off to the side, violet eye focused on Roy as he murmured against Jean's neck. "If he wants to give up control like that you might as well take advantage of it..." he nibbled idly at Havoc's ear. "You want his mouth or his ass, I'll take whatever you don't pick..." Ed had practically purred that statement.

A brief frown flickered over Havoc's face, gone before anyone could see it. He set aside his thought for later. "I'll take his mouth. If you don't mind, of course."

Edward leaned forward to place a brief kiss against the corner of Havoc's mouth before standing and moving around behind Roy, fingers making quick work of the military boots and pants, noting curiously that Roy hadn't been wearing underwear as he trailed automail fingers down Roy's spine. "Of course I don't mind..."

Roy shivered under the brush of automail, responding silently to the unspoken request and dipping his head, tongue trailing along Jean's length as he shifted his knees apart, hands moving to the small of Havoc's back.

Havoc groaned as Roy's fingers brushed by his psuedo-tail. He began to purr when he felt the wet heat engulf him.

Quickly coating two fingers with his own saliva, Ed slicked himself, recoating his fingers to press inside of Roy. He lingered there only long enough to be sure the man was well enough lubricated before his own impatience caught up with him and he removed his fingers, hands moving to Roy's hips as he lined himself up and pressed in fully.

Edward's head swam for a few long moments, and he fought to calm his breathing a bit, leaning against Roy's back and giving both of them the time to adjust, dilated violet and gold eyes looked towards Jean's face but not really seeing. "_Fuck..._"

Roy groaned, pulling back to press his face against Jean's thigh to muffle the sounds he made at the sudden intrusion, body tensing as his fingers gripped Havoc's back and ass, a low wail stifled into heated skin. He distantly registered the warm and cold weight of skin and automail against his back, and the hard, wet length against his cheek.

Havoc gently stroked Roy's hair, a faint smile on his lips. "Shh... it'll be okay..."

Roy nodded just barely, steadying his breath as he forced his muscles to relax. Getting slightly impatient with Ed's zoning out, he shifted his hips, pushing back against him.

When white heat shot up his spine he moaned softly, trailing his tongue back up Havoc's length to circle the tip, breath ghosting over heated skin.

In response to the impatient movement, Edward slowly pulled himself upright again and almost all the way back before thrusting back in, voice caught in his throat as he eased into a steady rhythm.

Havoc purred, his oversensitive body feeling every single twitch Roy made. He fell back bonelessly, content to just bask in the sensations.

The instant he felt Ed move, Roy surrounded Jean with the velvet heat of his mouth, vibrations from a moan reverberating through Havoc from base to tip as he worked to mimic Ed's pace, back into the thrusts and forward to take Jean in again, teeth grazing lightly ever so often. Something far back in Roy's mind was amazed at how well Havoc controlled himself, since he knew that if Ed were in the same position he'd surely be bucking by now.

Havoc purred deep in his throat, stretching his arms luxuriously over his head. He gasped softly as Roy's hand brushed by an espescially sensitive spot.

Gasps and moans were muffled against Jean's groin each time Ed thrust in again, but Roy kept moving, tongue caressing and swirling around the shaft. Fingers danced up Havoc's spine, other hand rubbing consistently at his tailbone and Roy sucked _hard_ when he felt Ed's hand close around him, pumping in time with his own, now shorter, thrusts.

With something like a punctuated snarl, Havoc came, becoming even limper than he had been before.

Roy swallowed awkwardly and pulled back, reaching up and pulling Jean down for an open-mouthed kiss that he moaned deeply into when he came, mind hazing over as he leaned against Havoc. Distantly, he heard a strangled groan and felt heat flood through him and spill out, vaguely registered the weight of another body at his back, happily muddled as the feeling of fullness left and a light kiss was placed against the nape of his neck.

Lisa looked up at the cuckoo clock. She wiped her hands on her apron and sauntered out to the head of the stairs.

Opening the door to the basement just a little, she called, "If you three boys are done making up with one another, lunch is ready."

To a fuzzy mind, it would seem that she said "making _out_, not making up"...

Roy made a noncommittal reply, still slumped against Havoc with automail dead weight heavy against his back. He heard a snort from Ed's general direction at the making up/out comment.

Havoc's stomach growled loudly. "I think that's our cue," he said amiably, ribs slightly squashed from the weight of two men. "I don't think any of us has eaten for at least a day..." He tried to wiggle out of the pile, but finally gave up. "Someone's going to have to move, and it ain't me!"

After hearing what sounded distinctly like a snore, Roy sighed. "Right... Don't look at me... You try lifting the dead weight of automail off your back after orgasm..."

"Fine," Havoc replied snippily. He got his arms in position and heaved, dumping the other two onto the cold stone floor. "When in doubt, push." He grabbed his pants and started getting dressed.

Roy winced as a rather pointy automail elbow 'broke his fall' after Havoc's push.

He let out another wince as he got to his feet, groping for clothes and coming up with Ed's pants, grumbling slightly and tossing them at the still prostrate blond.

Said blond grunted in reply before attempting to use the pants for a blanket and rolling over on his side.

After pulling up his pants and finding his shirt - How the hell did it get over _there_- Roy proceeded to get dressed. Failing at professionalism of course, seeing as his ass currently felt like it was on fire, in a bad way mind you, and he wasn't exactly anything short of unruly. "If I ever... _ever_ get the idea to let somebody else top again... shoot me in the foot and tell me it's just the insanity talking and that it'll all be better in the morning..."

Havoc burst out laughing. "My, my," he said cheerfully. "Not used to being subordinate to anyone, are we?"

"Not in a long time, Lieutenant..." Roy glanced down at Ed as he buttoned up his shirt. "Can I kick him?"

The blond opened his mouth, paused, then grinned widely, showing rather sharp teeth. "Go for it. Of course, I recommend running like hell afterwards."

Roy reached for the uniform jacket and slipped it on, thinking better of it. "I can't be sure who it would hurt more... me or him..." The point was accented by a tentative rub at the base of his spine.

"I could always hold him down for you," Havoc suggested, heading towards the stairs. "The fireworks would be well worth it."

The 'sleeping' blond in question was now sitting up, glaring daggers at the two older men without a word. Edward had halfassedly cleaned himself up with a sheet corner before tugging his pants back on, not taking his eyes off the other two for a second.

Oh yes, they would get what was coming to them...

Roy noticed how suddenly the air in the room became rather... suffocating. It would do best to leave now. Ah, yes, shoes were nice... With a quick fix for his hair and the straightening of a lapel, Mustang simply nodded and made a beeline for the door.

Havoc twitched guiltily, grabbed Roy by the front of his jacket and dragged the man up the stairs. Very, very quickly.

Pants fastened and belt-of-doom in his grasp, Ed stormed up the stairs after them, still without a word, though the look in his eyes spelled pain.

Lisa looked up when she heard thundering steps and yelps of surprise. She blinked, seeing Roy and Jean tumble out of the door in a tangle of arms, legs, and panic.

She decided prudently to break the news later.

Roy let out a sound that could only really be classified under the category of 'meep' as he swore the entire foundation was shaking under Ed's feet. "You were the one who pressed it further you know..."

Havoc began to giggle. He tried to crawl further out of sheer panic, but he collapsed, laughing uproariously.

For some reason, after seething a few moments at the mortified ball of... Roy and Havoc... on the kitchen floor, Ed couldn't seem to remain angry.

Perhaps that was his stomach's fault, because he smelled food, and hadn't eaten for the longest time. Or maybe it was the look on the Colonel's face... heh... wait... Food now, mangle later!

Edward simply dropped the belt as he idled past the men on the floor, looking around for the source of the foodsmell he'd been entranced by.

Lisa pointed into the kitchen. "Roast beef, a salad, milk, and apple pie for dessert. After you've served yourself, we need to talk."

Roy kind of stared for a moment. On one hand, Edward Elric, the walking time bomb of rage, had suddenly forgotten rage. On the other hand, Havoc was laughing hysterically. On the other hand... wait... other hand? He looked at his hands. Well damn.

Ed froze suddenly, chills trickling and prickling up his spine as he heard The Most Despised Word Ever.

Lisa blinked innocently. "Did I say something wrong?"

Havoc had managed to slither across the floor by then, still gasping. He grabbed Lisa's hand and hauled himself up. "You said the four-letter word that begins with 'm'," he murmured into her ear.

Roy wasted no time at all in preparing a nice portion of the food for Ed and steering him away to the table. "Here's a glass of water, Fullmetal, now eat."

Just as the blond's head had ratcheted around to give the Look Foretelling Pain And Damnation (borrowed from Izumi-sensei of course), Ed had been shoved in front of a rather nice smelling plateful of food.

Once again, the stomach took over, and Ed was practically inhaling what was on the plate.

Havoc made to follow suit, but Lisa just had to remind him, "No vegetables right now, Jean. You're still on a strict diet. No milk, either."

Havoc made a face. "No coffee?"

"Coffee you can have."

Ed choked on a now rather offensive bit of meat, which now was plastered on the Colonel's forehead.

Roy picked up a napkin and wiped his face and the front of his uniform, making an attempt at dignity and not quite reaching par.

"Miss Delgardie, do you mind..."

Lisa stuck her tongue out at Roy. "All right you goons," she said, steering Havoc over to the table. "You're all leaving tomorrow morning on account of a courtmartial, a promotion, and a personal meeting with Bradley. So you're going to have to decide what you're going to do about my cousin and uncle post-haste."

Edward on the other hand was completely clueless as to the situation as of recent. "Let me guess," he swallowed the chunk of food in his mouth, "I'm finally getting courtmartialled for defying my superiors so much, and for human transmutation, Mustang's getting another promotion, and Bradley wants to check on his new toy."

Roy's dark expression showed otherwise, and he'd just opened his mouth to calmly, coolly remind Edward of his position and get in a few jabs at his insecurities, when he felt a rather looming presence behind him.

Mustang was suddenly reminded of the time Mrs. Curtis paid him an office visit and happened to pop in at just the wrong time... No good could come of this...

Lisa grabbed Ed, easily hauling him out of his seat and throwing him against the far wall. It was quite a way to fly, and with a pissed-off chimera doing the hurling, it was quite a stop.

"No, you stupid little rat!" she roared in an almost frightening resemblance to Izumi. "Watch your mouth next time, or I swear to God that Izumi's going to pick you up **_in pieces!_**"

Ed only had time to crack open one eye lazily, widen both eyes about as wide as he could, and manage an 'erp!' before it really became evident how much Lisa was influenced by his Sensei.

The ponytailed blond slid down the wall to the floor, propping himself up with automail limbs and scowling. This wasn't Izumi! Only Izumi could do that to him and get away with it! ...Then again this was very much like Izumi...

Roy cleared his throat at the long silence that followed. "Please excuse Fullmetal for the time being... Despite being a legal adult he tends to still act like a child sometimes..."

"A _child_! Children hardly ever come up with something that cruel and damaging for someone they love! Unless of course, Major Elric sees the Lieutenant as nothing more than a toy!"

Havoc looked up from the summons paper. "Lisa, cool it. I daresay that Ed was trying to be funny, as he sometimes does." He set the paper down, scooting it across to Roy. "Well, looks like things have caught up to us. I'm being promoted to Captain, and you're being hauled in for fraternization with two subordinate officers. Bradley wants to see us before the courtmartial and the official promotion. I wonder what he has in mind."

At first Ed's jaw was agape as he stared at Havoc, then Roy... Havoc... Roy...and then he burst out laughing.

He couldn't _help_ it! The look on the Colonel's face was _priceless!_ And the way he was just _gawking_ like that! He looked like a damn fish! Edward was beside himself.

Roy was taken aback at first, at the news, and then again at Fullmetal's antics. After a minute he composed himself again and stood, leaving his plate still full on the table. "I'm assuming if they are aware of fraternization then they are also aware of those involved, Edward."

Face stern, Mustang made to leave the kitchen, in favor of the bed upstairs. He really didn't care if he slept too much. "No doubt Bradley has something in store... I know it's mostly between us right now, but I'd like to bring the Miracle Alchemist into the circle, if you don't mind..." And he knew damn well that Edward had no idea who he was talking about. It was better that way for now, and he needed to think. Preferably alone.

Havoc wasn't sure if Lisa was trying to break the tension or something else, but the woman hauled him up and squealed, "Congratulations, Jean!"

And then she kissed him. Not just an affectionate peck on the cheek, but a full-on romantic kiss.

Edward proceeded to turn several shades of red, first from embarrassment, then from rage. "Why the hell do we have to bring somebody else into this! And am I all of a sudden not GOOD ENOUGH as an alchemist to GET THE FUCKING JOB DONE-"

And then his brain registered what was happening. And not only was the Fullmetal Alchemist now as red as his coat, but he saw just about the same color.

Roy had spun around to shoot another retort back at Ed when his eyes met with _just_ the sight he'd been the least prepared for.

He wasn't even mildly aware of the sparks that were being emitted from his tightly clenched, gloved no less, fists. Nor was he aware that he was moving, or that the look on his face was the one that tended to send subordinates to the bottom of the ladder and enemies to Hell.

No, at the moment Roy Mustang was only aware of _rage_.

The two chimerae disentangled, though they were still hugged close. "Jean?" Lisa said very, very softly. "I am sorry about that, but they needed a distraction."

"No problem," he replied woozily.

The air in the room was practically thick with fury, almost overbearingly so, and the silence wasn't really helping the tension either.

That silence, however, was soon interrupted by a low growl from Ed's direction and the telltale clap and crackle of an alchemical reaction that flashed in near-violet eyes.

Mustang's eyes flitted briefly to the sparks, the glint dancing in his own eyes that he hadn't even realized were so predatory. Though he kept his posture rigid, his hand was at the ready whether Roy wanted it to be or not.

"That was some distraction," Havoc murmured. "I think that what they were fighting about earlier has become a seriously moot point."

Lisa grinned, releasing Havoc. "That's what I'm here for. Besides, I think it's sweet."

"Spare me."

"M'm..." Lisa eyed Ed. "I don't think it's normal for him to be frothing at the mouth, is it?"

"Normal, yes. Healthy, no."

Through a narrowing of eyes and a snarl, Ed lashed out. Target: throat of Lisa Delgardie. Spontaneously erupting pillars kept Havoc back long enough for the ponytailed blond to land a square hit with the automail leg to the woman's side.

Something in the back of his head snapped along with that first bone, though, and it wouldn't be long before this territory dispute came to something worse.

Before Jean could get a foot in, however, there was a snap and a wall of flames temporarily separated him from the action. Roy still stood there, still wasn't very happy, but at least had a little more sense than Ed did at the moment.

"If she's anything like Mrs. Curtis I'm sure she can take care of herself just fine against him... he'll calm down..." Although the heat of the flames dancing cold and bitter in Roy's eyes didn't do much to say he was exactly calm himself.

Roy got treated to a liquid gold glare, hatred flaring deep and angry. "That's my _cousin!_" Havoc grated. "Ed is going to kill her, you ass! And don't you dare say she deserves it. She kissed me for a reason, and I'll bet it's a damn sight better than the one you have for letting Ed do this to her!"

He dove through the sheet of flame, bowling Ed over in a whirl of teeth and claws.

Ed let out a yelp of surprise at being torn away from his goal, claws bringing the pain he needed to get his head back on straight, as for a moment the eyes that stared at Havoc were pure gold again before being speckled with the violet tinge of confusion and a rising, senseless anger.

Roy just stood there, watching the flames vanish as he stopped caring, eyes no longer full of rage but tired. Mustang's gaze settled finally on Lisa, some part of him screaming to see if she was okay, weakly. It was a look that said 'what kind of a man am I if I can't even help them?'

"Go away," Lisa said tiredly from where she knelt on the floor. "You have no business being here." She lifted her head. "What the hell made you bring up the Miracle Alchemist? Is it your idea of a sick joke?"

Havoc watched Ed warily. Something wasn't translating. He felt no pain from the burns he had to have sustained, but there were circles on his chest, back, and biceps that felt like they were being torn.

Suddenly, he just wanted to give up. He wanted to make the world go away, crawl into a dark hole, and forget that he ever loved Ed or Roy.

"What do you mean sick joke...?" Roy didn't quite understand. Normally he would've put it off as anger, but this seemed more substantial, like she knew something he didn't...

"He's under my command, I haven't had contact with him since Fullmetal came back..."

"There's a good reason for that, Colonel. I doubt you're ever going to see Alphonse again."

Edward finally really _looked_, and violet was chased from gold as fast as it had returned, memories flooding back again just when he really needed to forget what that felt like.

To just forget what it felt like to be back in Munich, what it felt like to suddenly find what he'd missed and then have it die, spasming, in his arms.

Even if it was just a glimpse of one circle he knew exactly what they were this time, but he couldn't get the image out of his head. Before he knew it he was clinging to Havoc, sobbing against his chest like he'd done back then, even though it wasn't all that long ago.

Dark eyes narrowed slightly as Roy crossed the room. He was surprised that Edward hadn't even noticed his brother's name, but considering the circumstances he ignored it. "What do you mean, what's happened to him..."

Havoc's face registered nothing, a frozen mask of weariness. His arms went instinctively around the boy's body, but he felt so sick of the farce that they were trapped in.

Lisa snorted. "Equivalent trade, Colonel. That's what I mean. The very face of Hell looking back at you in a body you know."

The only sound for a while was Ed's whimpering, muffled sobs, interspersed with whispers and gentle touches as the boy calmed.

'_Don't leave me again... Don't wanna lose you again Jean..._'

Havoc hugged Ed tighter. Wordlessly, he rocked back and forth, soothingly rubbing the boy's back. The one thing Ed asked of him was the one thing he couldn't give.

Finally, he just whispered into Ed's ear, "I love you more..."

Roy felt suddenly sick, slitted violet eyes and a devilish sneer flashing through his memory. He had to steady himself against the counter. "What did he lose..."

"Something more precious than I can recognize," Lisa said quietly. "Having no humanity myself, I can't recognize it in other beings."

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	30. Strip Blackjack, or Strip Tease?

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Strip Blackjack, or Strip Tease?  
****

* * *

** **Rating: **PG-13/R (Language, implications...uh...it's strip poker, you do the math!)  
**Pairings:** Havoc, Roy, and Ed. Playing strip poker.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers:** Oh hell I don't know anymore!  
**Setting:** Train. Whee.  
**Timeline:** Train ride from Geriko to Central.

* * *

Roy shifted restlessly again, alternating between staring out the window and staring at his two prone lovers strewn about the train compartment in a miraculous not-mess. 

What time was it now? Oh, right... The dark-haired man readied a shoe. They'd been sleeping for twelve hours straight now...

Havoc curled tighter in the corner, dreaming happily about chasing fast-moving fuzzy things across a really, really dull landscape.

"...Oh, hell..." Roy dropped the shoe in favor of shoving the both of them off the benches and onto the floor with one good push from his foot.

Havoc latched onto Roy's leg with one hand, dragging him down too. "Asshole." Looking more like a bedraggled feline than ever, the tallest man crawled back up onto the bench.

Ed did a superb job of ignoring the fact that he'd been relocated, while Roy yelped slightly upon being dragged down as well. "You've been sleeping for the past twelve hours, Jean, you have to get up sometime!" Roy said with a huff, crawling back up beside Havoc.

"Haven't you realized yet that cats sleep a lot? Now, use your superb and highly touted, praised, valued, etc. intellect and tell me what that means." Yes, Havoc got very, very grumpy when woken from a well-deserved nap.

"Haven't you realized yet that I don't give a damn if cats sleep a lot because you're still human to me?" Roy watched as Ed finally started to realize where he was.

Havoc just stuck a tongue out. "I do share some physiological irregularities with a cat," he pointed out.

Roy dragged Fullmetal up onto the bench as well, rousing him from muddled sleep. "Doesn't mean I'm excusing your being a lazy bum."

"Screw you, old man." Havoc curled back up.

"Oh, for..." Roy elbowed the sandy-blond. "You're no younger than I am and you know it!"

Havoc held up two fingers. "Two years and three days."

Mustang narrowed his eyes. Or perhaps he squinted. "Not enough time to count as me being old."

Ed huffed and grumbled, about ready to boot the both of them out of the car. "Sheddap already will ya!"

"If I'm awake, you're awake," Havoc said snippily. He dragged his jacket up over his head. "Following that logic, go back to sleep."

Roy shook his head and pinched the two blonds on the arm. "You've slept enough today! There are things that need to be discussed!"

Havoc switched himself around with surprising swiftness, burying his teeth in Roy's sleeve. "Shut up, old man!" he growled around cloth.

The smaller man jerked his arm back on reflex alone, "This is serious business and you know it, or have you forgotten where we're going and what we have to do?"

"I'm trying to, dammit! I don't particularly want to think about something like that when I'm trying to relax." Roy got treated to a blue-green glare. "Unlike someone here..."

"There's not time for relaxation right now..." Roy sighed, letting his head droop.

"...You two arguing is giving me a headache... Lighten up, Roy, seriously..." The smaller blond dangled a pack of cards in front of the brunette's face. "Up for a game or two?" The decidedly wicked grin and the look in Ed's eyes probably didn't do much for credibility.

"Listen to the squirt," Havoc said comfortably, scooching closer to Roy and barely purring. "And you could do with a good something or other to unwind."

Mustang immediately bristled and tensed. "...I don't think I like where this is going you two... There's still the issue of--" he'd began, only to be cut off by Edward's lips. Just to silence him, nothing more... yet... "One game..."

"Only one?" Havoc was flat-out purring at this point, fingers stroking the tear in Roy's sleeve. "Come on..."

Roy shivered slightly, barely detectable. "...Maybe two..."

Ed brushed a bit of dark hair out of the man's face. "What say we just play..."

Havoc twigged instantly and his eyes began to sparkle mischeviously. "Oh, what are we going to be playing this time," he purred sweetly.

Roy tried to sink into the plush seat, just to get away from the distractions. How would they ever get anything done like this!

"I was thinking maybe... oh... blackjack..." The grin and the nearly purred tone in Ed's voice screamed ulterior motive.

"Fun game, that..." Havoc murmured. "But..."

Roy didn't like where this was going. At. All... "But what..."

"Oh, nothing..."

"But what, dammit!"

A sickeningly sweet smile. "Nothing!"

"Nothing my ass!"

Havoc tugged briefly at the waistband of Roy's pants. "Such a nice one, too," he purred.

Roy slapped Havoc's hand, trying to look miffed. "Quit avoiding the question!"

Havoc nodded over at the manically-grinning Ed. "Ask him."

"Strip blackjack," the boy answered simply, already done dealing the cards.

Roy paled slightly. More because the blood was just leaving his face and going elsewhere...

Havoc's grin was probably illegal.

With a clap, the blond alchemist had transmuted the booth into a three-cornered room with a small table and the deck of cards in the center, one person at each corner of the room. "I'll stay, either of you need a hit?"

"Don't you think we should explain the rules to the poor man, first? It looks like he's going to pass out," Havoc said, indecently cheerful.

Roy growled and looked at the cards. "I know how the fuck to play blackjack, dammit!"

"I meant more like... how to play the fun part. The person with the lowest count takes something off. Unless of course, someone goes over twenty one, and in that case, highest loses clothing."

Ed frowned. "So we're not playing the version where the winner chooses which article the losers take off?"

"Never liked that part."

Roy really wished he could just meld with the booth about now.

Ed shrugged. "Well, it's explained, let's get going!"

"Of course..." Havoc nibbled a nail distractedly.

"Hit..." Roy mumbled absently, mind still half elsewhere.

Ed obliged, handing the man another card with a sly grin. _So much for a poker face, Fullmetal..._ Roy thought.

Havoc sighed. "Hit."

The younger blond dealt another, followed by yet another when Roy chorused 'Hit me again.' He could have dealt something more sinister, but that could wait...

Havoc held up a hand. "I'm set."

Roy flipped over the card and groaned. "Do we have to do this?"

"Of course! You agreed to it, after all."

"We all set?" Ed flipped his cards. "Blackjack! Looks like I'm safe!" He couldn't help but grin as Roy's cards were turned. "Fuck, Roy, you're supposed to tell me if you're already over twenty one, not take another hit!"

Havoc snickered, flipping his cards to show twenty. "Poor Roy."

Ed gathered the cards up and shuffled a bit. "And no, insignia buttons don't each count as a piece of clothing..."

Roy, having been in the middle of trying to disentangle what he had, growled slightly, settling on throwing the jacket at Ed as revenge.

"Well, well. Did you expect one of us to lose first round?" Havoc grinned smugly. "You're dealing with the best gambler in your staff and his protege."

"Shut up and deal... And if I find out you're cheating, Ed..." Roy let the threat hang as the boy dealt the next round.

"Which is entirely counter-productive to the entire concept of cheating," Havoc commented, glancing at his cards.

"Stay..." Roy muttered in response, watching the younger blond take another card and do a good job of ignoring the comments about cheating.

"Stay."

"Show 'em!" Ed displayed his cards, a total of twenty, and leaned back.

Roy shrugged, flipping his to show twenty as well. Both of them looked to Havoc. He grinned sheepishly. "Nineteen."

Before Roy could even manage a word, Ed had snatched all the cards and redealt, waiting.

Havoc neatly hung his jacket on an available peg and picked up his cards. "M'm. Hit."

Ed followed suit, and Roy took another as well. For all the years the Colonel had to perfect his poker face, this wasn't exactly the situation that had him using it, and it was obvious. "Go over again?" Ed purred.

"Respectfully, sir, you suck at this."

"Shut up, Lieutenant..." Havoc earned a boot in the shoulder.

And he returned said boot, smacking the man square in the chest.

Ed couldn't quite tell if the sound Roy made was closer to a squeak or a wheeze. "Hit or stay, people, let's get going here!"

"A bit eager, aren't you? Stay."

"Stay..." Roy coughed slightly, sock-clad toes idly working the clasps on Ed's boots as the boy took another card. "Twenty one!" That earned a kick. "You're cheating, Elric.."

"Did you really expect anything less?" Havoc demanded, sliding his cards back. "Think Roy. Think really, really hard."

"I thought he might have grown up at least that much!" Roy eyed the blond rubbing his shin and glaring. "By default, Ed, you lose this round... and I deal next time..." He gathered the cards before Fullmetal could strike back.

The taller blond sighed. This was going to turn into an all-out brawl soon...

With a growl, Ed threw down his coat, scattering a handful of face cards and aces in the process. "Hrmph!"

Sighing, Havoc let his head drop down onto the table so very, very gently.

"Now that we can assume Fullmetal will have to play fair... let's resume, shall we?" It seemed that discrediting Ed had gotten Roy back into his 'cocky-superior-self-sure-bastard' mood. Cards were dealt and Ed took a hit.

Havoc, still facedown, dragged his under so he could see. "What the hell. Stay."

"Blackjack," Roy said casually, "now which of you two has the lower?"

Havoc put his face-up on the table with a loud slap.

Ed grumbled. "Eighteen.."

Still not sitting up properly, Havoc toed his boots off. "Deal again."

Roy did so, taking a second card and not complaining when Ed took three, one right after the other.

"Mmph." Havoc's hand groped unsuccessfully across the tabletop. "Someone give me a card, will you?"

Roy flicked one his way. "Maybe you could reach them if you sat up right..."

Havoc flipped him a rude gesture before grabbing the card and retreating. "M'm."

Ed was close to ripping the cards to shreds. Roy took note of it. "What's the matter, Edward? Didn't plan on losing?"

Havoc started counting, curious as to how long it would take for blood to be shed.

Trying to act the man, Ed simply shook Roy's toes off his boots and undid them himself.

Havoc sat up, blue eyes slightly sleepy. "I'm assuming the kid made it up over twenty-two, then."

Roy checked the cards thrown at his face and nodded, wondering just how Ed had managed to pull that off. Shrugging, he shuffled and dealt again.

Havoc yawned and stretched. Picking up his cards, a mischevious grin split his face.

Roy glanced at that look. "I think it's safe to assume that our feline friend has blackjack..." Roy took another card and set the three down. "Nineteen..."

Ed shrugged, laying out a pair of tens. "Twenty."

"Seven."

"You did that on purpose..." Roy eyed Havoc.

"Why would I want to lose on purpose?" the man said innocently. "Seems kind of silly to me..." He yanked his shirt up over his head.

Ed's grin slowly returned. Now it was shaping up to be a real game..."Quit oogling and deal, Mustang!"

"Pervert," Havoc muttered.

"I was not oogling, Fullmetal!" Roy just dealt the next round. Although he did admit that the game itself was starting to get in the way...

"Sure felt like it to me," Havoc quipped, glancing at his cards. Finally!

"I'll stay..." Roy commented, followed shortly by Ed. "Well?"

"Stay."

"Seventeen," Roy flipped his cards, and Ed just looked at Havoc.

"Blackjack."

"Nineteen," Ed tossed his cards to the middle of the table and waited again, watching idly as Roy took his goddamn time unbuttoning his shirt.

Havoc just used to time to take a quick catnap.

Catnap noticed, Roy deposited the shirt on Havoc's head. "We're already staying, get with the program, Jean..."

Highly unappreciative, Havoc returned the shirt with an added fist inside, connecting with a very satisfying thump to Roy's chest. "M'm. Stay."

"Ouf..! You're abusive today you know that!" And so it went on..

Roy couldn't quite remember how far they got before the cards just seemed to disappear and the meaning of 'win' and 'lose' became completely different again, but he knew he'd managed to keep his pants on up until that point..

That is, until Ed lost for the last time and transmuted 'strip blackjack' into just plain 'strip tease'...

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	31. Of Rank, Reversion, and Rage

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Of Rank, Reversion, and Rage  
****

* * *

** **Rating:** PG-13/R (Language, violence..stuff...)  
**Pairings:** What's the main pairing in this fic? It's all of them in general. No sexual activity, just angst. Okay I lied. There's public molestation, not in the sexual way. It's Envy. What can I say?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers:** Oh hell I don't know anymore!  
**Setting:** Central City HQ/Urban district  
**Timeline:** Roy, Ed, and Havoc arrive in Central from Geriko.

* * *

Fuhrer Bradley smirked to himself. He hadn't really expected the courier to get the nerve to deliver such a missive to Mustang and his motley, but loyal, crew. But there it was, and Mustang was coming to a courtmartial. 

He had to admit, though, that he was curious to see what Havoc had turned out like. He had always possessed a special soft spot for chimerae. Perhaps because they were just as maligned as homunculi. Or maybe even more – the normal populace _knew_ about chimerae.

Colonel Mustang, neatly pressed, pristine uniform, plastered on mask, and one gigantic bundle of pissed-and-not-showing-it, saluted instantly as he was shown into the man's office. "Sir, you requested to see me, sir." He remained stiff at attention until given the order to relax, pointedly avoiding Bradley's one-eyed gaze for a point just a little to his left.

Edward, being the insubordinate sonofabitch he was, slouched in after Mustang, flopping himself onto a nice plush couch and propping his feet up on the table. Certainly, it wasn't the Colonel's office, but it didn't really matter to him.

Bradley's eyebrows rose, and an amused grin tugged at his mouth. "Well, I suppose your little misadventure hasn't left you in too much disrepair."

Havoc snuck in, trying to remain merged with the background. Bradley acknowledged his wish to remain silent and turned his attention to Mustang. "I assume you know why you're here right now."

Roy, still at attention, hid perfectly the rising urge to crisp Bradley. "Yes, sir..."

"You are allowed to sit down," Pride said mildly. "You may want to in a minute anyway. I have an offer to make you."

"Yes, sir." Mustang took a seat across from Fullmetal. "An offer, sir?" He tried his best not to sound appalled by the thought of blackmail, because surely, that's what it was going to be.

Ed fidgeted slightly, blond veil of bangs hiding his two-toned eyes from sight.

Bradley sighed, the slightest hint of impatience in the sound. "Yes, an offer, yes, it amounts to blackmail, but in this instance, our interests coincide.

"You want Ashton Fawkes dead. And so do I. Preferably in a very, _very_ graphic and bloody manner."

Roy narrowed his eyes this time, fists clenched. "Permission to speak freely about the subject at hand, sir."

Bradley waved an impatient hand. "Mustang, you and I both know we're off the record here. Cut this formality. _You're running out of time_."

"Just what do you know about Fawkes, and the group known as Predator..." Roy eyed Ed's silent form and clenched fists for a moment before continuing.

"You placed one of them on my staff, ordered Havoc back here before the transmutation had cycled fully, and I'm pretty sure you damn well knew what would happen if he were to undergo Clarity in Central! You ordered him to the front line in negotiations, you're responsible for the deaths of all of those men, you used us all and _lied_ to your country, and now you expect me to _help_ you!"

Unruffled, Bradley tilted his head back. "No," he said simply. "I don't expect you to help me at all. I expect you to do what in the best interests of the country and your own best interests."

From the corner, Havoc's low voice said, "Mustang, hear him out. He may know something we don't. I'm willing to trust him."

Unclenching his fists slowly, Roy forced himself back into trained indifference. "I still want to know just why you can't use your friends to take care of them, after all, Homunculi don't die, right?" It was a stab in the dark, Mustang didn't know for sure, but this would confirm or deny any and all suspicions.

"No, we can't. Those things have us drawn up on short leashes. I'm sure you know what happened to my comrade Greed. Sloth and Wrath are also in danger, if not already bound.

"I admit, I made an error. A very grievious one." His one eye met Mustang's squarely. "I don't expect you to believe me on this one, but I did not order Lieutenant Havoc back to Central. I wanted him kept there with Lisa, but Falsehood somehow trumped me.

"But you _must_ kill Fawkes soon, for the sake of Fullmetal. If that monster kills one of the Sins, then he may revert into a true homunculus to take his or her place."

Edward nearly choked on his own spit, doubling over and falling off the couch gasping for breath.

One violet eye and one gold speckled with violet glared heatedly at Bradley, fists clenched. So he knew did he? What _didn't_ that damn one-eyed freak know!

Roy's eyes narrowed as well, still locked with the single eye of the man he hated almost as much as he now did Fawkes. A little voice in the back of his head, though, kept nagging at him that the term 'Wrath' would have suited Edward's previous actions perfectly, and that made him almost sick to his stomach.

"Falsehood? I'm assuming that's one of these... abominations? It would be nice if we could have their names and descriptions in order to be prepared..." Mustang ran his fingers through his hair, a bit of a stressed gesture.

"If he's after you or us, the quickest way to end this would be to keep your friends and ours in close proximity so they'll come... Unless you have some method of contact with them..." Standing, Roy stepped around the table to help Edward back up onto the couch, rubbing his back soothingly. As much as he hated to admit it, Fullmetal right now was the one trump card Bradley had to play to get him to play right into his hands. "Do they know about Ed and Jean..."

Bradley decided impulsively to let the name slip go. While it could have been amusing as hell to watch his rival (yes, rival) squirm, now wasn't the time for it. "I'm not sure if they know about Lieutenant Havoc," he said, putting a barely perceptible emphasis on the surname, "but I'm quite sure they know about Fullmetal. After all, who doesn't know?

"I'm sure the Lieutenant is currently in even more danger than I am," he continued. "Deceit is a very thorough and vindictive character – he will not be pleased to learn that such an annoying little thorn managed to survive."

Havoc murmured something unintelligable, and Bradley's eye twinkled. "I quite agree. Therefore, I'm sending just the three of you into the viper's den. A surprise attack, all the more potent because of its foolhardy nature and exceptional fighters."

"Deceit now too you say? Why don't you give us the plan after you give us the information, I take it that these creatures are named after their personality quirks like you and your kind?" Roy's eyes focused on the Fuhrer again.

"How many of them are there, what are their names, what do they look like, what can they do. We need this information in order to fight them..."

Bradley full-out grinned this time. "Certainly, General.

"I don't know many of the Abominations – I've only really come in contact with Fawkes, known coloquially as Deceit, Falsehood, and Slaughter.

"Fawkes himself is a maniac with designs upon alchemists and the country as a whole. I don't know what he plans to do, but I intend to stop him before he hurts me and mine." His eye hardened into a flinty look. "Despite what you may say, I do care for my country and people. If you want a description, I'm sure Havoc could give it to you. He's an excellent marksman with small arms.

"Falsehood was that woman that I put into your office. She was also the one that terminated Stanton and Hughes, both of which I would gladly wring her neck for. If I needed Hughes dead, I would have rather had _my_ agents do it. She's part black mamba, and as a result is more deadly than the chimera known as Martel.

"Slaughter... is Slaughter. He used to be a professor at the University – I believe, Mustang, that you had him for your Theory of Philosphy and Religion class. He's crossed with an ox or bison or something. He's even more bloodthirsty than Fawkes if possible, and enjoys killing for the hell of it. I reccomend either crisping him or allowing Havoc to take him out."

Mustang did a double take. "Professor Lindblum! Gods..."

He'd completely missed the fact that the man had called him 'General'.

Ed, who'd been silent since he'd entered the room, finally spoke up.

"Philosophy and religion... You homunculi are the Seven Deadly Sins from some ancient and long discarded tome they used to call the Old and New Testaments... Envy, Pride, Greed, Lust, Sloth, Wrath, Gluttony..." He stood and began to pace across the room.

"Falsehood, Slaughter, Deceit... They seem to follow some similar pattern... Religion... They're abominations..." the ponytailed blond stopped suddenly. "There's seven of them, aren't there? The Seven Abominations Unto the Lord..."

Counting off on his fingers, he recited what he'd remembered from the texts, religious or no, he'd read them for their information.

"A proud look... A lying tongue, that's Deceit... Hands that shed innocent blood, Slaughter... An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations... Feet that be swift in running to mischief... A false witness that speaketh lies, Falsehood... And he that soweth discord among brethren..."

"The religion you want is Christianity," Havoc remarked. " 'By Faith ye shall be saved...' But none of this theology will actually kill them. Unless they're like the antiquated werewolves and vampires where you can only kill them by blessed silver or water. Even then, it's going to be a moot point. Christianity hasn't survived in any recognizable form except for the Ishbarite religion. Even then, it's more Moslim than anything else."

Bradley frowned. "That is a viable line of thought, but I doubt that it will do any good. These things are normal. Or at least as normal as a wild chimera can be."

"Normal is pretty damn subjective here," Havoc retorted.

"Well _so_rry! I was just trying to figure out the rest of them since you apparently can't give us their names!" Ed fumed, violet threatening to take over his remaining gold eye.

Bradley leaned back, waiting for the inevitable explosion. Havoc, knowing full well what could (and would) happen, slid over to where Ed was.

"Calm down," he murmured. "Otherwise you're not getting your birthday present."

Fists still clenched, Ed stalked back over to the couch, flopping back down again and crossing his arms over his chest indignantly.

"Whatever..."

"Look there's obviously nothing to be done about this but go along with you, so you might as well just tell us where to go so we can just get this over with.." Roy sighed heavily, leaning forward on his crossed hands.

"Good boy," Havoc purred, grinning.

Bradley watched the ongoings interestedly. Apparently there were dynamics between those two that even he hadn't noticed. He cleared his throat. "They'd probably be in Ishbar," he said. "I'm not quite sure, however."

His eye met Havoc's. "Captain, there is something that should be given to you."

"Sir?"

Roy's left eye twitched slightly when Havoc purred, noticing Ed's shiver only due to the fact they were sharing the couch.

"Jean Havoc, your new set of tags have come in today..."

Havoc's face crumpled into a complicated frown. "Sir, I already have..."

Bradley pulled out a box. "I know that, Captain. These are a bit... different. If you accept these... you'll be under my personal protection and you will answer to no one except me."

Havoc's eyes narrowed. "You're asking me to whore myself out?"

"Sometimes one has to do distasteful things to accomplish a goal."

"... I'll take them."

Roy instantly lifted his head, eyes focusing on Jean in half-confusion, fighting to win over anger and hurt. He felt his stomach twist into knots for a minute and just what that agreement entailed.

He wanted to kill Bradley more than ever now... Goddamn _bastard_...

Havoc regarded the nondescript box with something like a sinking feeling in his gut. With a sigh, he opened it.

Three tags – name, rank, company on one. The other, his number. The third... the Führer's personal seal. He ran a thumb over the embossed dragon, then lifted the chain and dropped it over his head.

_Goodnight, sweet prince_, he thought bitterly.

Hands clenched tightly, almost hard enough to cause sparks to leap from the ignition cloth gloves, and Roy pointedly avoided looking at Havoc, Bradley, or even Ed for that matter.

"Your new uniform is on your desk," Bradley said briskly. "Since you're in Special Operations now, you ought to wear the uniform. Dismissed."

Havoc nodded glumly, saluted, and left.

Roy was worried about Ed's current level of silence, it never meant anything good. Instinct proved right when not a moment after Jean had left the room Fullmetal was pushing himself to his feet.

Mustang caught his arm just in time before he lashed out, grip firm on the smaller wrist. "Don't be an idiot!" he hissed, pulling Ed back into his arms and refusing to let go despite the boy's protests.

Bradley just gazed with that damnable smug, knowing calm. Positively _goading_...

"What's the matter, Fullmetal?" he asked sweetly. Too sweetly.

"_You're_ the problem you goddamn sick fuck!" Ed growled, struggling in Roy's grip. "Let me the fuck go Mustang!"

Both eyes shone pure violet in rage, though the pupils seemed to remain normal for the time being, it still wasn't a good sign. "I said _let me go_ you _bastard!_"

Bradley just _grinned_.

"_LET ME GO!_" Ed managed to slip his automail free from Roy's grasp, elbow slamming back into the older man's chest and throwing him off. The second he was free he'd lunged at Bradley over the man's desk, teeth bared and eyes wild with an untamed pure rage.

Gasping for air, Roy went down on one knee, mentally cursing himself for not keeping a better hold on the boy and at the same time for Fullmetal being so damn volatile in the first place.

He tried to get back up but stopped short when he heard an audible cracking protest from his ribs, sinking back to the ground to take short, shallow breaths.

This was bad...

Bradley was still smiling even after he smoothly vacated his chair, drew a long, shining blade, and held the razor-sharp edge right over the back of Ed's neck. "Now, now," he admonished the alchemist. "Look at what you did. You hurt Mustang." He pressed the edge a fraction closer.

Roy managed to choke out a sentence, one hand clutching his side while the other rose, poised to snap. "Hurt him... and I swear to god I'll kill you..."

"So you're willing to kill for Fullmetal, but not Havoc? I'll have to tell him about that..." A wolfish grin sparked back to the injured man. "Besides, Mustang, you can't kill me."

Ed flipped back over Bradley's head, coming down behind him with the chain of his silver watch pulled tight across the man's throat. Slightly pointed teeth sneered over the man's shoulder and a too cold voice left the blond's mouth.

"Maybe he can't... but I'd be willing to bet _I_ can..."

Roy coughed and spat up a small spot of blood on the Fuhrer's carpet. "Don't get me wrong... I get word that... you so much as-" he was interrupted by a strong wave of stabbing pain, "lay a hand on Jean..."

"You're too overprotective of a fully rational being," Bradley said, ignoring the chain. "Havoc is capable of making his own choices. Are you going to strip him of his last hold on humanity?"

"I should just... let Fawkes kill you..."

"Then your beloved Jean also dies, and this mockery of a human being will become me. It's your choice, Mustang."

"How dare you call him a mockery when you yourself are worse off..."

Roy watched with a pain even stronger than the sharp stabbing of broken ribs. He watched unable to do a goddamn thing, and he hated it.

"At least I have control, Mustang..."

"That's because you don't have a stupid fucking human soul trying to split your fucking head in two every waking second, _Pride_!"

The blond dropped the watch, hoisting himself up on Bradley's shoulders to perch there. "You have any idea how much of a fucking headache that kid is!"

"I can only imagine," Pride said wryly. "If he gave _me_ trouble, it must be a nightmare inside.

"You are...?"

"Well I'm not Edward Elric I know that much! And a damn good thing too!" The blond cracked his neck a bit, doing a cartwheeling flip back onto the Fuhrer's desk.

Pride rubbed his temple. "Well, you certainly have spunk. And a foul mouth, even worse than Envy's. Blasphemy, perhaps? One of the most common and virulent sins, even now."

Roy tried once again to get to his feet, once more failing and biting back a yelp of pain at the jarring sensation of falling back to his knees.

Fuck... Jean had been able to drag Ed back to the surface, _he_ hadn't... and now there was nothing he could do but watch, onyx eyes recording each and every movement, everything that was so blatantly _not Edward_...

Ignoring the injured man's feeble attempts, the blond seemed almost calm compared to the other day when he'd nearly killed both Mustang and Havoc alike, and then that Delgardie as well. "Maybe. You really pissed the kid off though for me to get out without him even so much as blinking, last time he totally passed out!"

"M'm. I believe it's because I now have total control over someone the boy cares deeply about. Hatred is a powerful motivator for some things."

"You mean that pointy-eared animal? The one I almost killed? Damn that asshole, don't know what he did back there but it was _not_ pleasant getting thrown back at that goddamn gate without any warning at all!" The blond reached up to his cheek to feel that the scratches were still there. "Feh..."

"H'm. Then Elric and Havoc must have a deeper connection than what I had first assumed."

There was a brief flash of gold in slit-pupiled eyes, but it was gone in an instant. "Fuck... obviously..."

"Language," Pride said mildly. "And what do you mean, 'obviously'? Is there something that I somehow missed?"

The blond snorted a reply. "Well duh, you don't have _his_ voice in your head, nor do you have to see through _his_ one eye!"

Pride's patience thinned. He tugged on the long golden hair. "Do you mind divulging this secret of yours?"

The boy swatted Pride's hand away and stretched out a bit. "What's in it for me if I do?" Violet eyes idly noted that Mustang had passed out from the pain. He had to give it to the kid, Edward did have a fair amount of strength for a human. The blond just grinned crookedly at one eye, waiting for an answer.

Pride chuckled. "I like you, child. What would you want?"

"Can you get this goddamn brat out of my head for starters?"

"Unfortunately, that isn't possible for us. We have to live with what we're given, and apparently, schitzophrenia is your curse. Anything else?"

The blond thought for a few moments, as a decidedly wicked grin split his lips to show the sharp points of his teeth.

Slitted eyes narrowed slightly as well, he propped his head on one hand. "How about the beast and the flame..."

"Agreed. But you'll have to keep the chimera in one piece, child. Now. What is this secret of yours?"

"That Mustang guy is out of the loop, he's the only one who's had to live through it all without anything serious happening to _him_..." The blond gestured vaguely at the prone form. "The Fullmetal kid was probably having wet dreams about the guy long before he even knew it, and yet Flame got both of them secondhand. Something happened between those two that I can't even begin to figure out, they've both been through hell and back, fighting with each other every step of the way and yet still they're bound closer than this kid was with his brother! It's unbelievable, how pathetic they are and yet _one fucking look_ can pull him back or send him off so I can play!"

Pride leaned back against his desk, arms folded and nibbling at a thumbnail. "Resonation. A stupid little story that I thought was a myth. How very odd... bizarre how a relatively normal human can have such power over another, stronger human."

"Like I said, normal is pretty damn subjective here," Havoc's voice said lazily from the door. He leaned casually against the doorjamb, arms folded. "Hullo, you nasty little ass."

Grin curled back onto young lips, pulling them back to show sharp teeth again. "Pleasure to see you too, mangy old dog!"

"Cat," Havoc corrected languidly, an equally feral grin on his own lips. "Mangy housecat is the insult you're looking for. Or have you forgotten the basic differences between cats and dogs?"

"Still a dog of the military, so why does it matter? My what an interspecies relationship you're having!" The boy slid off the desk, nudging Mustang with the toe of his boot before shoving him over onto his side and out of the way.

He ignored the pained whimpering. "Feel like going another round, you snivelling wretch of an animal?"

An eyebrow cocked infuriatingly. "Are you trying to insult me?"

"I'm simply stating the truth, mongrel..."

"M'm. Honesty is always such a virtue in children. I'm glad to see that you still possess it to some degree. And while we're on the topic of honestly, I'm not a dog. I'm a cat. Feline. Spelled f-e-l-i-n-e. Look it up in an encyclopedia."

"You're a confused, pitiful little lapdog either way, so it doesn't really matter to me what you are other than somebody's bitch." The boy took a seat on the arm of the couch, still smirking.

Havoc smiled sweetly, entirely unruffled.

"I'm not going to be so willing to let you drag him back again you know... I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you..." Violet eyes looked over Havoc's form rather boredly. "I can see why he liked you though..."

"I'm sure you can," he murmured, still smilling.

The boy glanced up for a moment. "You might want to do something about _him_ though... before he internally bleeds out and dies..."

"He'll be fine," Havoc said calmly. "There are things that can be done with an Albedo that can't be done with the Red Stone." He eyed the homunculus cooly. "I didn't know you cared."

"He's more useful alive than dead, and easily manipulated by this body..." One leg crossed over the other as he leaned back against the arm of the couch still.

"Please. He's not that weak. Still, I'll just collect him and be on my way." But Havoc leaned still, blue-green eyes studying the homunculus' face with something like regret.

Violet eyes narrowed slightly, grin still present but soon exchanged for a mock frown of disappointment. "Not going to rise to the challenge? I thought I'd get a little more fun out of you, fiesty a tom as you are..."

"Quit patronizing me, Ed," Havoc said coldly. Then his voice returned to his typical tone. "All I wanted to do was come by and say happy birthday."

"Well you're talking to the wrong person then, Edward Elric isn't here right now, scruffy."

"I noticed." Blue-green cat eyes lidded halfway, disguising completely the swirl of pure green. "I suppose you're not going to be having your birthday for another... what? Six, seven months? Something like that anyway."

"I really could care less what you're trying to get at, but I thought you might like to know it's not getting you anywhere at all."

"I thought you would have recognized right now that I'm not trying to get at anything. I don't care anymore. He's gone. So what? We'll all be gone sooner or later, including you."

The blond shook his head, closing his eyes and running his fingers through his hair in order to hide the flashes of gold and the slightly pained expression when something screamed in the back of his head. "Then take that human and get the fuck out of my sight.."

"Your wish, my command." He padded forward silently, bending down to gently check Roy's pulse.

That time the boy couldn't quite hide the sudden convulsions. "Shut the fuck up and leave you fucking idiot! I don't want to see your goddamn fucking face!"

Havoc was up in an instant, his hands around Ed's shoulders. "What happened Ed...? Are you okay!"

The boy growled, snarled, did anything but open his eyes and refused to look. "Get... your grimy... fucking... paws... off me... don't fucking... touch me..."

Havoc's voice was gentle. "I have the right to be worried, don't I, Ed?"

Another convulsion snapped through the small frame. "I'm... not..._ Ed_...!"

"I don't know... it'll be okay... I promise..."

The boy tried not to do anything, tried not to even _breathe_ because that scent was right there and that _stupid kid_ kept pounding his skull and dammit he _knew_ that Pride was back there feeling rather smug about it all! "Get..._ OUT_..."

Havoc enfolded the writhing youth in his arms. "I don't want to lose you again..."

The ponytailed blond suddenly went rigid for a moment in Havoc's arms. "J... _J.. Jean..._"

He could feel tears running down his cheeks, but then something screamed and faded away and Ed had to throw his arms around Havoc's neck and cling to ease down the overwhelmingly sudden sense of vertigo.

Havoc nuzzled Ed's ear. "Shh... it's okay, I'm here for you... I won't let go this time..."

Gloved hands, flesh and automail, clutched the back of Havoc's shirt as Ed buried his face in the crook of the older man's neck.

"_It was so cold..._"

"It'll be okay... you're here now, it'll be warmer... I'm here to protect you."

"Don't... wanna go back there again... hurts... 'm'sorry Jean..." By now Ed was just mumbling against Havoc's neck, lulled into a half-sleep by the smell of smoke and the strong but gentle arms that held him.

"Shh... you won't have to..." He dropped an affectionate kiss on top of the boy's gold hair, a thumb running down his spine easing away the worst of the tension. "If you can calm down a little, I'll get you home so you can shower, eat, and take a long nap. How does that sound?"

Ed managed a mumbled reply, nodding slightly against Jean's shoulder.

"Good kid." Havoc lifted green eyes to the obviously amused Bradley. "Request permission to get the hell out of here?"

"Granted. What do you want me to do about Mustang?"

"Medics are outside. Just tell them to get in here and take him up to the Ward. He'll be fine. I'm more worried about Ed."

He eased the boy out of the room and down the hall, keeping a firm arm around him to make sure he didn't fall.

Despite being half-asleep, Ed still managed to hang on, and for once, he wasn't complaining about being carried.

"Are you feeling all right?" Havoc asked in a low voice. "Do you want a bath or dinner first?"

The ponytailed blond simply nuzzled his head against Havoc's neck, mumbling incoherently.

"If you feel that way about it, I'll just warm up some milk for you," he teased. "I'm sure that my charwoman can get me some unskimmed milk for you..."

Edward tensed and growled, biting Havoc's neck in disapproval, since it was within reach.

Havoc grinned and nuzzled Ed's ear. "Relax, Ed. You know perfectly well that I'm not being serious." His apartment complex loomed over them, red brick somber in the clouding day. "Do you think you can stand on your own two feet long enough to let me open the door and get into my apartment?"

Ed nodded again, but made no move otherwise.

"Here kitty kitty kitty..."

One emerald green eye and one pure white gazed down from the rooftop at the two blonds, blood red hair blown slightly from the breeze as a similarly colored tail waved slowly behind the form all too easily recognizable now as Ashton Fawkes.

Havoc froze dead. "Ed... I'm going to put you down now, then go rip someone's throat out. I advise you to run like crazy. Understand?"

The blond boy looked up wearily, but nodded nonetheless. "Nn..."

A smirk curled Ashton's lips, fangs glinting slightly.

Havoc set Ed down. "What do you want, Fawkes? Come back to finish the job? Or did Bradley come running like a good dog to your beck and call to tell you about what happened and you lost your temper and want to take it out on me."

"I just want to talk is all, really... I'm surprised you made it back alive..." The feline crouched and lept down from the rooftop, landing a few feet in front of Havoc. "Let's just say I'm intrigued... oh... and don't try anything stupid now, I don't really think it needs to be mentioned how easy a target that boy is right now, from any distance..."

"I wasn't planning to try anything 'stupid'. If this is going to be just a talk, I'm sure you know the rules of immunty. Or not..." He dug out his keys and tossed them to Ed. "Here kid. Let yourself into my apartment. Room 3A."

"I can't be sure really... stupid has a completely different meaning in your case..." Red tail swaying, Fawkes approached Havoc, one good eye scanning the tall blond head to toe. One clawed hand reached up to drag the blunt end of nails lightly across Havoc's cheek. "Indeed a fine specimen you are..."

The half-dazed blond barely managed to catch the keys with his automail hand and get to his feet, wandering past the other two towards Havoc's apartment.

Havoc's eye twitched in disgust. "Of course, you're just as charming as ever. I hope you clean your claws on a regular basis..."

"And I hope you clean that mouth of yours on a regular basis, or does the boy do that for you?" Fawkes stepped around behind Havoc, one eye scrutinizing. "Magnificent... Even more alluring than you were back then, so how does it feel now to be one of us?"

"I'm sure you know exactly how I feel. What do you want from me?" The skin on his back between his shoulderblades crawled.

Fawkes grinned, tips of his claws on both hands tracing the seams down Havoc's sleeves. "First I want you to relax... I'm not going to hurt you..."

"Like that's supposed to make me feel any more relaxed," Havoc retorted. "What do you want from me?"

"Are you on repeat or something, kid? You think saying it over and over'll make me go away?"

"So I'm being nosey. You don't have to treat it like a sin."

There was a crackling light from behind Havoc and a pair of arms wrapped around his waist, dress shirt sleeves pushed up almost to the elbow. A disturbingly familiar voice was purred into Havoc's ear. "I want _you_, Jean..."

Panic instincts kicked in brutally. Havoc's arm drove back with punishing force, slamming into the thing's solar plexus. He whirled, laying open "Roy's" cheek with his claws.

"You know... that really stings..." The gouges on the doppleganger's face slowly closed back up as he got to his feet, spitting out a bit of blood. "And here I said I wasn't going to hurt you... what a way to pay that back..."

Havoc backed away slowly, feeling like his mind was about ready to snap. He ran slap into a wall, eyes wide and panicky.

"What's wrong...?" Attitudes shifted as 'Roy' walked towards Havoc, arms held out in a trusting manner. "It's okay.."

"This isn't real... it's a dream, I'm asleep in a hospital somewhere, and this is just a nightmare..." Havoc sank to his knees, holding his head. His already tenuous sanity threatened to break.

Pale hands were placed on Havoc's shoulders, dark eyes looking with concern as the man knelt before him. "It'll be okay, I promise..."

"No... go away, you're not real... whatever the hell you are, quit trying to fuck with my mind!"

"Jean, snap out of it!" The doppleganger shook Havoc's shoulders. "Snap the fuck out of it!"

"Fuck... _off_!" His fist punched out, hitting off-center and breaking the doppleganger's cheekbone.

The doppleganger spat out blood, wincing in an imitation of extreme pain. Feigning difficulty to speak, he lifted his head. "I... don't want... to fight you... Jean..."

"You're not right! You don't smell like Roy, you don't feel like Roy, you're not him! Go away and let me alone!"

Bones cracked back into place and the doppleganger stood, wicked smirk splitting across his face as a crackling light washed over his body.

The thin, lithe form now stood before Havoc, slitted violet eyes laughing down at him framed by a wild cascade of forest green hair. "No less than expected from the new fuzzy boy, good, good!"

"I'm glad someone's happy," Havoc spat weakly. He was still trying to hold the shards of his sanity together; he didn't care what happened as long as he stayed in control.

In a split second Envy was on top of Havoc, pinning him to the ground and straddling his waist. "We've actually met before, you just weren't aware of it at the time..."

Havoc growled, latching onto the homunculus' bicep with his teeth. He bit hard and _tore_.

"You're even more vicious a furball than Deceit aren't you? I suppose a few sedative measures are in order..." With that, Envy drove his knee _hard_ into Havoc's gut, uninjured hand gripping the blond's throat and holding his head back so he couldn't use his teeth.

The other arm soon healed, and the homunculus grabbed both of Havoc's wrists, this time flipping him over onto his stomach and keeping both arms behind his back.

Havoc hissed dizzily, writhing in a meager attempt to free himself. Hands strained against their captor.

"Doubt you've ever been in this kind of position before, hm?" Envy grinned like a maniac, form shifting over Havoc until cold automail now held his wrists and a blond ponytail fell over the chimera's shoulder.

A warm tongue traced the shell of Havoc's ear even as the flesh hand slid down his back and over the curve of his ass. "Even though you know it's a lie... it's still _his_ face..._ his_ voice..."

"No!" Havoc snarled, fighting him like a rabid animal. "Let me go, you goddamn _freak_!"

"Look who's talking, Jean... you're just as much a freak as I am..." Two fingers rubbed lightly at the base of Havoc's spine. "I could kill you so easily..."

His body bucked at the sensation, even as his rational mind screamed its horror and disgust. Needle-sharp teeth clenched, then opened in challenge. "If it's so easy, then just kill me!"

Ed's voice purred in Havoc's ear as the rubbing continued. "Pride wouldn't be very happy if I did that now would he..." One knee acted as a wedge to part Havoc's thighs, slowly applying pressure to his groin. "And what fun would it be if you were dead?"

A soft, whimpered moan wormed its way out of Havoc's throat. He managed to get a leg up underneath himself somehow, and kicked back with all the strength he could muster, connecting with something. Hopefully something that would cause pain.

Shortly thereafter Envy's heel slammed against the backs of Havoc's knees, rewarded with several loud cracks. "You're just making this harder on yourself... I didn't want to have to hurt you..." though the voice was still Edward's.

Havoc's entire body seemed to contract, folding in on itself protectively.

"Why me?" he hissed. "Are you so fucking messed up that inhuman freaks turn you on?"

"You do realize that you're talking about yourself too... after all, what is he?" That tongue was back, tracing wet paths along Havoc's neck. "It's more fun when they've got a little fight in them..."

"At least I understand him," he retorted, testing the grip on his wrists. Lean muscle bunched as he slowly forced his wrists apart.

"It's not like you're going to be able to walk you know..." Feeling resistance, Envy tightened his grip again, twisting Havoc's wrists painfully. "How's this then... you entertain me now, and I won't have to go after the little midget for fun anymore..."

Something inside Havoc's chest froze solid. "What did you do to Ed?" he snarled.

"The look on his face was priceless when I told him it was me and not his beloved Colonel... sad that he'd fall for the same trick three times..." Envy smirked to himself. "You can't hurt me... You can't walk... You might as well give up..."

Something snapped. Red-hot rage bubbled up behind Havoc's eyes and he began to struggle like a possessed thing.

One coordinated motion with both hands holding Havoc's wrists dislocated the man's shoulders as Envy stood, one foot digging into the small of Havoc's back. "You're stubborn... I like that..."

Havoc finally screamed, going limp and dry sobbing into the concrete. "Damn you," he finally hissed weakly.

Long, thin fingers dug into the mess of Havoc's hair, pulling his head up to meet his eyes, violet to whatever the hell color the chimera's were at the moment. "I know..."

Nearly incoherent with agony and rage, Havoc glared back.

_Stupid ass!_ he berated himself. _You should have just swallowed your fucking pride and dealt with it!_

"You're a pretty mess... but Pride would probably get angry if I broke you too much."

Envy released Havoc, using a foot to roll the man over onto his back again. "I suppose I should fetch the Fullmetal shorty for you then, what a motley crew you three are, all broken and helpless at the same time, how sad..."

Havoc's eyelids fluttered at the pain of relocation. He lay still, trying to regain his breath, sanity, and composure.

"Oh.. I could do so much more to you right now, but I think I'll let the real Fawkes have a go at you, after all he did have a sick little eye on you..." Envy turned and walked off with that, form shifting into a nondescript, low ranking officer.

_That_ Havoc could have lived without. Senses dulled by exhaustion, pain, and just an informational overload, his conciousness bordered on non-existant.

It wasn't long before a disoriented but now fully conscious Edward came running, nearly tripping over his own feet going down the stairs only to come skidding to a stop on the landing. He was immediately at Havoc's side, careful not to move him as he gently cupped the older man's cheek with his human hand. "Jean? Jean you're gonna be okay, god what happened who did this to you!"

At the familiar voice, Havoc dragged himself laboriously back from the edge. A lopsided grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Bet I'm one hell of a sight for sore eyes," he said wryly, voice hoarse. "I'll be fine, kiddo. Just think of it as some cosmic balance punishing me because I didn't take good enough care of you." His shut eyes tightened in a massive bolt of pain from his legs.

Ed scoffed at that. "If you weren't hurt I'd kick you... Stay still will you, you're just going to hurt yourself more... I'll phone the med ward..."

"Nice to see you can still take a joke," Havoc retorted. "Call the civilian hospital, though."

"Why the civilian hospital? Wouldn't that just raise questions?"

"No. I have a friend in the trauma ward, and I can trust her to keep her mouth shut. I did a favor for her once. " He bit his lip at another bolt of pain. "Look, kid, I'll answer your questions later, just get me there."

"GET you there! How the hell am I supposed to do that! I can CALL them, THEY can come get you, I'm not moving you. Now stay put!" Ed got up and continued to rant under his breath as he walked off towards Havoc's apartment to call the hospital.

Havoc chuckled breathlessly at the kid's retreating back. _Guess I hit a nerve somewhere_, he thought dryly.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	32. Helpless, Hopeless, Heartless

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Helpless, Hopeless, Heartless  
****

* * *

** **Rating:** R (Language, violence..attempted...rape...)  
**Pairings:** Well...there's Roy and Ed...cept it's not Ed...then there's Ed again but that's not Ed either...  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA.  
**Spoilers:** Oh hell I don't know anymore!  
**Setting:** Central City, nondescript hospital room.  
**Timeline:** Day or so after the incident with the Fuhrer.

* * *

Roy awoke suddenly, surging into an upright position only to be knocked back down again by the sudden, sharp pain in his chest. He lay there for a moment, winded, as he let his eyes focus and his breath return, albeit still slightly painful. _Where the... oh..._

The events of the previous day started to float back up to the surface. The meeting with the Fuhrer, the promotions, the chimera group called Predator. The transferrance of Jean from his command and Edward's assault on Bradley. The change, Edward calling the man... Pride, wasn't it? Several ribs had been broken at the time and the pain clouded most everything else. He'd passed out not too long after. What had happened since he had no idea, only that he had been transported to some hospital, and that the pain had dulled immensely, despite still being enough to wind him.

Come to think of it, he had not seen Edward or Jean for quite some time now... Knowing how Ed had changed before he passed out, Roy was slightly worried, to say the least.

Two-toned footfalls echoed in the hall outside, and the doorknob turned. Roy sat up just enough to see the blond alchemist as he slipped inside and shut the door behind him. "Edward? What in the _hell_ are you wearing..?"

"What, you don't like it?" The boy turned violet, slit-pupiled eyes on the once-Colonel now-General, stretching rather elegantly in the long-sleeved, nearly see-through half-shirt. The pants, Roy noted, were at least the same, albeit a bit lower on Ed's hips than he remembered them being before, or perhaps that was just due to the lack of the belt. "No, I _do_... like it... It just..." Dark eyes took in every detail, the way the fabric clung to Ed's frame perfectly, the fact that the sleeves ended with a separate hole for the thumb and for the middle finger. He took note of how the collar came up higher than that of his own uniform, but in one piece, how Ed's hair was in a ponytail rather than the usual braid, and a high one at that. Roy's eyes then locked with violet and his entire body tensed. _Pathetic human!_ He shuddered. "Ed... your eyes..."

The blond merely slid off his shoes and climbed up on the bed, hovering over Roy on all fours even as the dark-haired man tried to back away. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine, Roy..." He lowered his hips, straddling Roy's waist and sitting there as he brushed the man's hair out of his face gently. "I just came to see you, that's all... Sorry about the other day... I don't know what came over me..." Human fingertips traced Roy's jawline, lightly brushed his lips. "Forgive me?"

Roy's brain fritzed out momentarily when hips shifted against his own and cool automail somehow worked its way up the hospital issued shirt he wore to dance mechanical fingertips down his side. "Uh..."

The boy smirked, well enough to rival Mustang's own as he leaned in, tongue tracing the man's lips briefly. "Good..." Even as Roy tried to lean in for a kiss, the blond leaned back, still grinning as he brought his hands together.

All Roy saw was a flash and the next thing he knew he was being flipped onto his stomach, wrists bound behind his back in a way that nearly pulled his arms to the point of dislocation, or so it felt. Something cold and hard, most likely iron or steel, bound him just above his knees, spreading his legs as far as they could be spread, and the cold metal on his ankles, plus the fact that he was unable to move them, led Roy to believe that they were bound directly to the foot of the bed. It didn't take long for him to notice Ed's presence was gone from his back, oh, and the fact that his clothes were now no more than ribbons on the bed beneath him.

"Ed! Edward what are you...!" A quick tug told him his wrists were not only bound together, but to the headboard as well, probably to prevent any real range of movement. It worked. "Ed let me out of this!" A sharp protest from his ribs silenced him for a moment, and he stilled. "Ed... please, Ed this _hurts_!"

The laughter that followed was a far cry from Edward's. "You haven't figured it out yet, old man? You really are pathetic..." The blond yanked Roy's head back by his hair, slit-pupiled violet eyes meeting frightened, shocked black. "Don't worry, I'm just going to humiliate you. Pride won't let me kill an asset..." The boy released Mustang's hair and took a seat on the side of the bed. "Are you just going to stand there all day, or are you going to come in?"

Roy heard the door open and close again, two-toned footfalls once again stepping past the threshold. Turning his head, Roy could only stare as he saw double.

"Long time no see, shorty..." the second Edward said, grinning in a way that was also unlike Ed. What in the _hell_ was-

"The shorty is out for the moment, Envy, shall I take a message?" Ed number one must have been smirking too, Roy could hear it in his voice, almost a sadistic mirth. The one addressed as Envy, Roy assumed he was one of the seven Sins Edward had spoken over, as was Pride, stepped towards the bed. One white gloved hand gripped Roy's chin, turning his head roughly. "I see... not a bad piece of work, this one... The shorty's other lover, even I have to admit, either he knows how to pick them or he's just full of dumb luck." The other blond snorted. "That stuck up chimera is more my taste, but this damn kid won't even let me get close to him!"

That got Envy's attention, and he paused in his scrutiny of Roy's naked form. "Oh? He didn't put up much of a fight for me..."

Roy jerked at his restraints again, glaring as best he could into golden eyes when Envy leaned down in his face again. "What did you do to him!"

Envy smirked. "That's right... you're with him too... It wasn't much really, I just broke enough bones to keep him still while I humiliated him a little.."

Roy tugged uselessly against his restraints desptie the throbbing protests his body made, spitting in the creature's face, dark eyes burning furious. "You sick, disgusting--" he was cut off as Envy's hand, what would be Ed's automail one, grabbed his face, grip so tight that Roy almost believed the homonculus would crush his skull then and there. A flash of light preceded Envy loosening his grip, and Roy was soon able to see why, as an automail blade was embedded halfway into the doppleganger's throat, blood seeping from the wound.

"Don't fucking DO shit like that you damn idiot! You _want_ the Fullmetal brat to come back or something! My fucking head is _killing_ me!" Roy just stared again as the blade was retracted and blood spattered on his face, and for a second he wondered why Edward was talking to a dead man. He was soon reminded of how hard it was to _actually_ kill a homonculus, when the wound closed and Envy rubbed his neck, spitting blood out on the floor and cursing under his breath.

"_Fuck_, you didn't have to go and do THAT! How was _I_ supposed to know the shrimp reacted to HIS pain too! Pride told me you had no problem when you broke his damn ribs!"

Roy cleared his throat and both homonculi stopped, glancing at him. "If you would kindly let me out of these restraints I would be more than happy to-" he choked on his words as fingers traced lightly down his spine, stifled an unwanted moan into the pillow as a gloved hand fondled his erection.

"Look at how hard he is, sick fuck is _enjoying_ this don't you think?" Roy couldn't tell which one was talking, but he suspected it was Envy, seeing as he was the only one wearing gloves. "Please... don't do this..." It shocked him how pitiful he sounded, and the laughter that came as a reply only made him cringe.

"How about I ignore that, Roy... because I know that even though you are going to hate yourself for it, you can't _help_ but enjoy it..." Violet eyes met his own. "Just look at it this way... it's still _his_ body inside you..."

Roy shuddered at the tongue on his neck. What was worse was that he _knew_ the words that..._ thing_ in Ed's body spoke were _true_. As much as his mind screamed _no_ it would always come out as _yes_. "_Please... don't... Ed..._" All that came out was a shaky whisper.

Bracing himself, Roy waited... and waited... and... waited? What was that tension in the air? Something wasn't right... Not like any of it was right in the first place, but the feeling sent icy chills down his spine.

"_He's_ coming... You're on your own, shrimp..." Roy opened his eyes just in time to see a flash of military blue exit the room. "Spoil my fun, huh? Fine, let's see what this guy is all about!"

Moments later, Roy found himself lying once more on his back, unshackled. Instinctually he yanked up the sheet to cover himself, before the shattering of glass had him sitting up and reaching for gloves that weren't there, dark eyes focused on the broken window.

A swift intake of breath followed as Roy laid eyes on the inhabitant of the windowsill. "Fawkes..." A pair of gloves were thrown into his lap from across the room, and, upon inspection, Roy found they were his. "Quit gawking or you'll end up dead!" Dark eyes glanced to the blond who was ready to fight, then back to the smirking figure in the window, habitually slipping on his gloves.

"No, it's that attitude that will be the death of you..." Deceit drawled lazily. "Whoever said I was here for a fight?"

The calm, easy-going ferality in the man's voice sent chills once more down Roy's spine. "Then what _are_ you here for...?"

For some reason he found it extremely hard to believe that Fawkes was there for a little chit chat and afternoon tea.

"Why am I here? It's quite simple really..." The red-haired chimera slid off the windowsill and into the room, moving to the foot of Roy's bed with a rather fluid grace. "I came with a message for you to give to your little Fuhrer, Mustang..."

In another motion Deceit stood over Roy on the mattress. "Tell him that his two youngest are dead, and he will be next... And I already know what he's making you do, so you might as well give up if you want to live..."

A gun was drawn from beneath the feline's coat, aimed at Roy's head. "Are you going to stop following orders from a walking dead man, or will you die now?"

"_Stay... away... from him... goddamn... bastard..._"

Roy looked past Fawkes even as the red-haired man turned to face the blond on the other side of the room. Dark gaze was met with the sight of a world-weary boy, struggling to remain in control. Roy saw the way that violet nearly exlipsed gold in his one open eye, and for a moment, he could almost hear the agonizing screams of one torn between two worlds. "Ed..."

The blond grinned wearily. "Sorry... it's getting harder... to stay here..."

"Then allow me to assist you in your departure from this world..." Deceit's aim shifted from Roy to Ed, the trigger pulled within the blink of an eye, bullet tearing through the boy's shoulder.

For an instant, Edward's eyes went completely gold, staring apologetically at Roy before being swallowed by violet as the blond fell to the floor, unconscious. The array had been torn.

Roy was ready to snap in the next second as Fawkes turned the gun on him once more, and a searing hot pain riveted through his skull. Vision blurring, he watched as the chimera scoffed and lit a cigarette, his form retreating out the window the last thing Roy saw before blacking out.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	33. Blasphemy, Exhaustion, Depression

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Blasphemy, Exhaustion, Depression

* * *

Rating:** PG-13/R (Strong use of language, repetetive use of language, implications of things.)  
**Pairings:** Do I need to keep saying this over and over?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA. Don't sue meeeee!  
**Spoilers:** Hell if I know anymore:D  
**Setting:** A secret medical facility somewhere in Central, restricted access zone with high level security, Ed/Blasphemy's holding cell/Roy's room.  
**Timeline:** A day or two after the incident with Deceit, Roy, and Ed/Blasphemy in Roy's hospital room.

* * *

_Where am I...? So cold... So it's there again... but it's different this time? What's that sound? Voices? I can't hear what they're saying... Wait... Jean? It's... too blurry, vague, I can't see, it's like being underwater... murky water... What was that about Predator? Huh? Are they talking about me?_

"...array's been damaged, I'm not sure we can save him..."

_The array...? Save him? Save ME!?_

"What about Mustang..."

_Roy... that Fawkes guy was there... the memory is vague though..._

"He'll live, but I'm afraid that eye will be useless... He'll be questioned on the incident when he is well enough. Miss Delgardie and Mrs. Curtis have been notified of Fullmetal's condition and will arrive in Central tomorrow. Until then, we have our best alchemists on it."

_Great... those two in one room... if whatever this is doesn't kill me, they will..._

"I'll stay with him... At least I can keep that thing under control if he wakes up."

_Thing? Oh... the other voice... Wait, if I can hear them like this here he must already be awake..._

"Very well, just don't let your guard down, we don't know what he might be capable of now that-"

"Just get out, I don't need to hear it... save it for..."

_Huh? Colder, the light's gone out... not back there again! Not now... No... I don't want to... Jean... JEAN!_

Havoc looked down at the unconscious blond, heroically resisting the simultaneous urges to both brush the hair out of his face and strangle him for letting this happen. "What about Mustang..."

The young doctor flipped a few pages on his clipboard. "He'll live, but I'm afraid that eye will be useless... He'll be questioned on the incident when he is well enough. Miss Delgardie and Mrs. Curtis have been notified of Fullmetal's condition and will arrive in Central tomorrow. Until then, we have our best alchemists on it."

Havoc nodded, waving the young man off with a vaguely dismissive gesture. "I'll stay with him... At least I can keep that thing under control if he wakes up."

"Very well, just don't let your guard down, we don't know what he might be capable of now that-"

Another dismissive gesture was given. "Just get out, I don't need to hear it... Save it for somebody who doesn't know it already."

"Yes, sir... Notify us if any severe changes take place." The young man nodded once more and left the chimera alone in the room with the boy.

"What am I going to do with you, goddamn gopher... Every time I look away you're getting yourself into another-" _JEAN!_ Havoc blinked, looking down at the sleeping boy.

He blinked again. That was... weird. He knew he was still on pain medication, but he really shouldn't be hearing _voices_. And when the voice sounded eerily like Ed... well, he needed to get his head checked anyway...

He hestitantly put his index finger into Ed's flesh hand, watching it curl reflexively around the digit. _Stupid, stupid little kid..._

The boy's grip tightened suddenly, almost painfully, as pure violet, slit-pupiled eyes snapped open, glaring at Havoc with a fierce hatred. "If this kid's arm and leg weren't across the fucking room, and you fucking sons of bitches didn't have me tied down... I would so fucking _kill_ you right now!"

Havoc calmly tugged his finger away. "Well, that answered my question all right."

Blasphemy spat. "Bite me you fucking prick."

Havoc lifted his eyebrows, looking distincly unimpressed. "You know, despite the fact that you're tied down and that prevents you from biting my throat out, you're almost normal, kid."

"Fuck you..." The homonculus jerked at his restraints, anything to get at least within _biting_ range.

"Look, gopher, I've had a shitty day. Don't make it worse, all right?"

"Anything I can do to make your day worse sounds like a good idea to me... Like I fucking care how your day's been anyway! I'M TIED TO A FUCKING TABLE!" Blasphemy was, in fact, calmer than usual. Believe it or not.

Havoc was losing his patience. Fast. "I think that's the one good thing that's happened to me for about twenty-four hours. So just shut up, will you?"

Blasphemy snorted. "Why the hell should I shut up, you damn mangy feline? Give me one good reason. And don't say you're going to kill me, because the brat's still here, and I know damn well you're not going to kill _him_."

Havoc's patience disappeared into thin air. He backhanded the homunculous on the table viciously. "Just shut the fuck _up_ you little shit. I'm sick of you constantly whining, and god help me, I _will_ kill you if you keep pissing me off!"

Blasphemy froze for a moment, a few tiny flecks of gold wafting across one eye and vanishing again. "Goddamn sonofa..."

Suddenly it clicked. Havoc lashed out again, striking the thing across the face. "You're worthless. If the best thing that you can do is just spit insults at me, then there's no reason for me to be even remotely scared of you. You're just a little lost monster whining for a scrap of food."

Gold flashed momentarily again in violet, expression on the boy's face changing ever so slightly before it was all back to Blasphemy again. "You think that's going to _do_ anything? Pathetic fucking idiot.."

"Well, he's got the right idea," a chillingly familiar voice said from the doorway.

"Maybe he can revert you back to your natural state long enough for us to fix you," an eerie echo remarked conversationally. "After all, you are and have always been a spoiled brat."

Violet eyes glanced towards the doorway. "Well if it isn't you two... If memory serves me right, I tried to kill _you_... and you... Well... I do believe this boy was scared shitless of you."

Izumi smiled calmly. It was a smile that made every single hair on Havoc's body stand straight up, and he shrank back in total fear. "With good reason, I assure you."

Quick as snakes, the two alchemy goddesses struck, Lisa going for the stomach with great abandon and Izumi aiming for the homunculus' head.

And they hit. Hard.

Violet lingered just long enough to see the two madwomen within inches of his person, before Blasphemy gave up the floor willingly, to Ed.

The blond practically would have doubled over, wait, no, he _definitely_ would have doubled over in pain were it not for the restraints. And damn did he wish he _could_ double over in pain.

"What kind of brat would do that?" Lisa snarled.

"A homunculus," Izumi said briskly. "Ed, that's a blood array, right?"

One violet-strewn golden eye was open to the two alchemy masters, as Ed coughed slightly. "If you hadn't... just... done that... I might even... say I was... happy to see you..." Despite the pain, he nodded. "I think... you'd have to ask Al... if you could find him..."

Lisa opened her mouth, but Izumi silenced her quickly. "We're going to have to do a temporary array on you so we have enough time to find him. We have no idea where he is."

"We know that he was last seen in Geriko, but from after your return, we have no idea. It's going to take a massive manhunt to find him," Lisa continued.

"Whose blood do you want for the array? Mine, Lisa's, or the chimera's?"

"Personally, I'd like none of your filthy blood on my body unless I was killing you pathetic wretches. But that's just me." Blasphemy slipped back again before the crazy women from hell could get their hands on _him_.

"Augh... my head... hey... why am I tied to a table?" Ed winced at the pain in his stomach, that would bruise. No doubt about it.

Lisa was getting ticked. No, not ticked. Royally pissed off. "Shut up, you whining piece of slime!" she bellowed, actually startling Izumi. "If I hear one more word out of you that's not conducive to our goal, I'll kill you, no matter what Jean or Izumi say! _Got that_!"

Ed cringed visibly, wanting very much to hide behind Jean at the moment. "No clue what the other guy said, but could you repeat the last thing you asked? I missed it..."

"You have three choices of blood to rebuild the array. Izumi's, mine, or Jean's. Doesn't matter whose blood you pick, as long as you trust that person. It'll work better like that." Lisa's glare clearly informed the young man two things: one, pay attention or Bad Things will happen; two, pick someone else.

"..." Violet-flecked gold automatically focused on Havoc.

"Dumb question," the two women muttered in synch. "I think the only person Ed would want more is Mustang," Izumi continued on, solo.

"Jean, get that remarkably pretty tail of yours over here now," Lisa said. "We're going to cut across your palm to get the blood we need for slime-boy over there. It won't hurt, and Ed'll be relatively back to normal."

"Close your eyes," Izumi said, producing a surgical scalpel and a small blood basin. "It won't hurt a bit."

Ed looked away then, too many thoughts running through his head. "Fawkes was there..."

Havoc tensed right as the two women were delicately cutting, causing them to go just a bit deeper than intended. "What!"

"Jean, shut up," Lisa snapped. "Ed, you're not helping any."

Izumi caught the influx neatly, and set it on the bedside table. "Fawkes?"

"He's the one who shot me... What about Roy, is he okay? I... couldn't do anything..." Trying to sit up, Ed was reminded he was restrained. "Can you at least let me out of these things?"

"We kind of have to," Izumi said. "I'm only going to release your upper restraints, and I'm going to transmute your hand into the table. Lisa's going to be waiting with fist ready." She transmuted Ed's hand neatly into the cold surface, effectively trapping him. "Now keep that thing away while we work, otherwise we're going to take drastic measures." She released the shoulder and chest restraints.

Havoc did not like the sound of 'drastic measures.'

Ed gulped, sweatdropping slightly. _He_ didn't like the sound of 'drastic measures' _either_... Somewhat painfully, no thanks to the pounding he'd gotten a few minutes before, he managed to sit up, despite the nagging pain in his shoulder and the way it made his vision swim, violet threatening to overtake him again though he kept it in the slightest check. At this rate, he'd pass out before they were even done, trying to stay in one place was hard enough when he was in good health.

Izumi put a hand flat on Ed's back, pushing him forward so she could redraw the array. She cursed the complexity of the thing silently, painstakingly retracing what was left of the original marks.

Ed tried to keep still as best he could through the prickling sensations that spiked through his body, through the pain in his head and the tear at his subconscious. He'd just have to grit his teeth and bear it, and hope to whoever'd listen that the array could be salvaged.

Izumi gritted her teeth, sketching a particularly complicated whorl. Curse Al for even attempting to do something so stupid. One more loop and line, and the damnable thing would be complete...

Vacantly, Edward realized he was missing an arm and a leg again...

... and she was done. She wiped chimera blood from her hands. "You're good to go, kiddo. Don't mess it up."

A particularly tense-looking Havoc relaxed perceptibly, and Lisa look both relieved and slightly disappointed.

"Can I have my arm and leg back, please?" Blond bangs still made a veil that covered his eyes, though it was obvious the few minutes it had taken to restore the array had thrashed him both mentally and physically.

"After Lisa puts them back on, I want you to rest," Izumi ordered. "I want you fed properly and I want you to get a decent amount of sleep. Lisa and I will start looking for Al. We'll get back to you periodically."

Lisa reattached the arm quickly and professionally. "I've always felt sorry for people with automail," she remarked. "I don't know why..."

Gritting his teeth, Ed bit back a scream, running a nice long variety of harsh curses through his mind.

She reattached his leg and released him from the rest of the straps. "Don't try to kill anyone, all right?"

She turned to Havoc. "You seem to be holding up pretty well, but don't strain it. The Albedo only ages the injuries, not completely heals them. I want you to get plenty to eat and plenty of sleep, got that?" Without even waiting for acknowledgement, the two women left with a promise to write every week.

"Are they always like that, or is it just for the kid?" Lifting his head, violet eyes glanced at the arm and leg, as he tested both. "So tell me... is this room sealed well?"

Havoc smiled bitterly. Go figure.

"Go ahead, call them in, I know they're out there, watching... You want to know what happened, right?" Blasphemy turned his eyes to Havoc. "I own you, you know that?"

"I don't care," he said wearily. "I'm sick of this goddamned game of tug-of-war, I'm sick of being a toy. All I want is some fucking SLEEP."

"I thought you had more fight in you than that... maybe I should do to you what I was going to do to that pretty boy Mustang..." The homonculus sneered at the chimera.

"Look, right now, I don't fucking care. I don't care if you 'own' me, I don't care if you were going going to do something to Mustang. Hell, I don't even care if Fawkes showed up right now. I just want to curl up in bed and pretend this whole slew of shit doesn't exist." Blue eyes glared tiredly at the sneering homunculus.

Hopping off the table, Blasphemy shrugged. "Fine... sleep then... Where's Pride, I want the fuck out of here..."

"Not here..." His vision was going blurry... too blurry. He squinted, trying to sort out details that he usually would have gotten in an instant. Not good. "He's off on a trip to... somewhere. I... I think..."

The hell was wrong with him?

"Is this room sealed well? Damn imbecile good for nothing, do you know _anything_!" Slit-pupiled violet eyes glared at the... woozy?chimera...?

"Yeah," Havoc said distantly. "They're not taking any chances with a homicidal maniac... sir."

"Fine... whatever... I don't feel like fucking with it right now... just don't fucking touch me..." Blasphemy took a seat on the opposite side of the room, idly examining the horrible fashion sense of the hospital.

Havoc slumped bonelessly to the ground, exhaustion, stress, bloodloss, and unnatural healing techniques caught up brutally, knocking him out into a graceless heap of half-animal human.

God, his day had sucked.

Blasphemy watched boredly each little twitch in the chimera's features, with really nothing more than a morbid fascination for the effects of a good mindfuck.

Havoc curled around himself, whimpering slightly. He hated feeling this vulnerable, but there was nothing for it. He was probably going to die anyway.

One empty dark eye stared absently down at fists that were barely clenched in the hospital sheets. The physical pain had died down to an occasional dull throbbing, but Roy really hadn't recovered at all, mentally.

The doctor had said he'd been out for nearly half a week, despite treatment with the Albedo. He'd been conscious for the past three days and yet still nobody would tell him what happened to Ed, and Jean hadn't shown up either. When he asked, everyone would just ignore him or find something else to busy themselves with.

Havoc knocked languidly on the door, yawning. His left knee _still_ hurt a bit, but the painkillers had fuzzed it out to a dull roar. But that just made him sleepy.

Roy's hair was a mess, hell, he was a mess in general. Slowly, he turned his head to look towards the door, not saying a word. The nurse should just come in anyway, they always did so without so much as a care for him really.

A nurse brisquely brushed by the slower-moving chimera, shooting him a somewhat interested look. He ignored her.

"All right, sir," the nurse said in one of those 'I'm a pretty nurse, pay attention to me,' voices. "Are you feeling up to eating something solid?"

Havoc took the opportunity to poke his head through the door and wave.

Naturally, Roy looked right past the nurse, one eye locking on Havoc. "I..."

"Well?" The nurse did nurse-like things, obviously impatient for Roy to answer. Havoc started making faces at Roy.

"I'm... not really hungry..." Roy glanced down at his hands again momentarily, managing at least a slight smile for the nurse.

Havoc huffed from the doorway. He slid out into the hall, planning something evil.

"Sir, you really have to eat! Otherwise, you'll never get better, and that crazy Ishvarian woman will have to come back against her expressed wishes to the contrary."

"I said I wasn't hungry... I'll be fine, I think I will have dinner tonight, you're on that shift, right?" Roy managed a more flashy smile, despite the strong urge to crisp this woman into tomorrow.

Havoc hefted a paper airplane with 'pay attention to me, dammit!' scribbled on the inside. He let it fly, aiming for Roy's head.

"Mr. Mustang, you need to eat three meals a day!"

Feeling the paper object collide with the side of his head, Roy lifted a hand, snatching the airplane out of his hair and reading it, once again looking past the nurse. "I had a late breakfast..."

"Sir, that does _not_ count."

"I really wouldn't want to have to force a lovely lady like yourself to leave... but please understand that I have no interest in food right now..." Mustang heroically kept in the urge to reach for his gloves on the side table.

Havoc snorted audibly. The nurse whipped around, eyeing him with something somewhere between awe and annoyance. "Mornin'," he said cheerfully.

Roy sweatdropped slightly. "Ma'am, I'm sorry... but you're wasting your time..."

"You're not really supposed to be here," the nurse snapped at Havoc, actually eyeing him. "Aren't you still in confinement?"

"I already got my rabies shot, so keep your hat on," he said, slipping into the room.

One dark eyebrow twitched slightly, and Roy winced visibly. "You are _dismissed_, ma'am... I hate to be rude but would you please just leave already! I _tried_ to be nice about it, I've had it up to here with you people, get out of my sight!"

The nurse stiffened, then marched out, head held high. "I will have to tell my superiors about this, sir."

"Oh, go away, woman," Havoc said, closing the door on her tail. "Stupid medics."

Roy sighed the second the door was closed, slouching back into his former positioning. "It's been a while... I... heard about what Envy did... sort of..."

Havoc rolled his eyes. "Should I even ask, or just let it go?"

Roy closed his eye, silent for a moment. "What happened to Ed...?"

Havoc sat down on the bed. "I don't know what happened initially because no one will tell me, but his array got screwed over pretty badly. He's still not exactly stable, but at least he's staying in his room. I'm not complaining, seeing as that twerp wants to kill me every twenty minutes." He stretched, spine cracking. "How're you feeling?"

"Do you want to know what happened?" Roy avoided the question of how he felt at the moment. He wasn't really keen on talking about it. One hand massaged lightly just above where his left eye would have been, a dull throb starting up again.

Havoc opened his mouth then paused, considering. "No, I don't."

"Maybe it's for the best... but maybe it's for the worst..." Roy sighed again.

Havoc shrugged. "We'll take it as it comes. We've always been good at improvising."

"Fawkes knows what's going on even better than I do... He said that 'the two youngest are dead' and that Bradley was next..." Despite Havoc's previous expression of disinterest, Roy couldn't help it.

Havoc draped himself across the foot of the bed. "'Course he does. He's the one calling the shots here. Face it, unless we do something abysmally stupid and unexpected, he's always going to be at least five steps ahead of us."

"How can we beat that then... He could easily kill each and every one of us, he's just _toying_ with us now! He could've killed Ed, hell he almost killed _me_! I don't know what to even _think_ anymore!"

Havoc reached up and over, rolling onto his stomach, and put a palm against Roy's mouth. "Shut up. Just because something looks hopeless doesn't mean that there's not a ghost of a chance. We're still alive, aren't we?"

Roy shivered slightly, averting his gaze. Fists clenched slightly tighter in the sheets.

Blue-green eyes looked calmly at the darker haired man. "Well? Are you done being a defeatist?"

Roy reached up with one hand, lightly gripping Havoc's wrist as he moved the hand away from his mouth. "Do you really think we can beat them, Jean...?" He nibbled idly at one of Havoc's fingertips, dark eye finally looking back at the other man's face.

Havoc smiled lopsidedly. "We're not going to die. Promise."

"You can say that... even after what happened... I'm going to hold you to your word..." The dark-haired man shifted slightly, arms wrapping around Havoc's neck. "I have faith in you, Jean... keep Edward safe... I don't even know if I can do that anymore..."

Havoc exhaled what might have been a bitter laugh. "Hell, I don't know if _I_ can keep him minimally under control anymore." He gently ran his fingers through Roy's shaggy hair. "Let's just call it a joint effort, m'kay?"

"I suppose..." Roy smiled softly, a somewhat dreamy look in his eye. "I can live with that..."

"You're not even listening to me, are you?"

"Of course I am..." The smile grew a bit, as Roy traced Havoc's lips with his fingertips. "Just thinking a bit..."

"Uh-oh," Havoc murmured, eyes glinting in fun, "You thinking is kind of dangerous."

Roy reached up, threading his fingers through Jean's hair. "Perhaps..." One eye closed halfway, unable to break their gaze.

Havoc gently tweaked his nose. "So, what evil plans of world domination have you thought up now?"

A sudden flashback ripped through Roy's mind, leaving him clinging almost desperately to the tall blond, face buried in his chest. "_God_ those _eyes_...it's true... everything he said is fucking _true_..!"

Havoc sat there and blinked for a few seconds, trying to wrap his still-tired brain around the fact that he had Roy basically plastered to his front. He knew that trying to peel the man off was a useless exercise, so he opted just to sit there.

"Beg your pardon?"

"I couldn't do a goddamn thing..." The smaller man was trembling, face still buried in Havoc's chest. "He was still _Ed_... even though he _wasn't_..."

Havoc sighed, getting slightly irritated. "Roy, snap out of it! We have two alchemists working on this, and Lisa is trying to find Al. Izumi's doing some research into the array, and I think we may have a few ideas how to fix Ed. Stop moping and put yourself together!"

"It's not about _now_ it's about _then_..." Despite being slightly more calm, Roy still hadn't lifted his face away from Havoc's chest. "You would've been able to do something if you'd been in my place, I'm sure of it..."

"Yeah fucking right." Havoc let Roy go. "The kid's broken beyond what I can fix. It's going to take a couple of geniuses to figure out how to tape him back together. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them."

"That's not what I meant..." Roy shook his head, still looking down. "Nevermind it..."

"Roy, I hate to break it to you, but the boy's going insane. There's too much stress all around and –"

The door flew open, and a whirlwind of white and black blew in waving a slip of paper. "Havoc, Mustang, I think I have an idea!"

Havoc blinked. Izumi was acting like a little kid. Weird.

Roy cringed slightly, turning his head to look at Izumi. His last encounter with the Ninja Housewife was not exactly pleasant. And nearly all of three years prior to now. He would've been fine if he'd never seen her again. Woman was _scary_.

Izumi pointed at Havoc. "You! You read history, don't you? What do you know about the Dragon's Head?"

Havoc blinked. Dragon's Head? Was that some sort of terrorist group back in the monarchic period? Or was it a religious order...? He frowned, trying to remember. "Something to do with demons, I think..."

Roy released Havoc, realizing how tightly he'd been clinging.

Izumi looked at him intently, eyes narrowed. He remembered in a hurry at a look that promised Death.

"It's a symbol of binding, isn't it? But I thought that was just a story or something, not –"

The alchemy master sighed, sagging against the wall. "Bingo. We finally did it."

Roy massaged his left temple lightly. "Pardon me, Mrs. Curtis, but _what_ have you done?"

"Well, you're a pretty mess, aren't you?" She handed Havoc the slip of paper, which he promptly passed to Roy. "Al made a mistake with Ed's array. He put the wrong Dragon Node in the wrong place. That's why Ed's been switching personalites so much." She nodded to the hastily sketched array. "Your pet kitten here just confirmed my suspicion."

Roy looked over the array, indexing it in his mind. "Now I know where I'd seen that before... I see..." One eye looked up to Izumi again. "What about Alphonse... has he been found yet...?" Roy was definitely hesitant to ask Izumi if she knew what had happened to him.

Izumi shook her head. "Lisa's still out hunting him. We think he may still be in Ishbar, but we're also looking in this country proper."

"I see..." Roy looked away again, thinking back on the incident with Delgardie. What would happen to the boy, what would happen to Ed when he found out?

"I'd reccomend both of you being there when Al returns," Izumi said quietly, steel in her voice. "Lisa just told me what happened to Al, and I don't want Ed to face him one-on-one." She held out her hand for the paper. "I'd also like one or both of you there when I redo the array. I don't know if I could hold that little maniac by myself."

Roy handed the paper back to Havoc, sliding off the side of the bed and walking to the window, hand on the windowsill. "...I see.."

Havoc gave Izumi the paper, jerking his head. He needed to talk to her, privately.

"What is it?" she demanded once they were out in the hall.

"Do you really think the Dragon's Head will hold in the homunculus?" he asked.

"No, not completely. But it's the best chance we've got... but..." Izumi, for the first time since Havoc had met her, looked worried. "I don't think Ed's going to be able to survive. The stress on his mind and body is immense, and there's no way for us to relieve that stress. He's a dead man walking."

Havoc rubbed his forehead. "Just don't tell Mustang that. None of us will survive the fallout."

"I know. Just... try to keep Ed alive as long as possible, but if things look hopeless, let him die. That'll be our best course of action."

"Right."

She nodded grimly. "Notify me when Mustang is up and functional. I'm staying with Jessica Corelli on North Street."

The dark-haired man returned to the bed, taking a seat on the edge and sighing heavily. She obviously didn't know that Alphonse was a state alchemist yet... or he wouldn't still be sitting here in one piece.

Havoc masked the rather haunted look in his eyes with the same cheerful vapidity that he was widely known for. Ambling into the room, he leaned over and hooked his arms around Roy's shoulders. "You look glum."

Roy reached up, hand lightly grasping Havoc's wrist. "And you seem far too cheerful for the task at hand..." He smiled dryly.

"Moping and being sad about it isn't going to get anything done. I refuse to sulk about anything until _after_ it's all over. Then I'll probably be in a blue funk that only copius amounts of chocolate will get me out of." He nuzzled Roy briefly. "If you keep up this attitude, I might have to bite you."

"I suppose so..." Roy resorted to simply nibbling the tip of Havoc's right index finger in silence.

Havoc huffed a sigh. "You're still moping about something."

The smaller man tried to look over his shoulder to get a glimpse of the blond behind him. "Maybe I am... maybe I can't help it..."

"You really need to stop, at any rate. You'll make yourself sick."

"I'm _already_ sick..." Roy made an attempt at shrugging off Havoc's arm. "It's chronic."

Havoc let him go. "All right, suit yourself. But –" He leavned over, incisors hovering barely off the skin at Roy's neck, "if you make me bite you, I'll leave a scar."

Roy sighed lightly, closing his one eye. "Ah, a gift to remember you by, hm?"

"... Roy, that was _not_ funny. Period." Irritated beyond repair at that point, Havoc bit Roy. Hard. "With this attitude, you're going to get us all killed, dammit."

Roy hissed a sharp breath through his teeth, hands fisting tightly in the sheets. Eye squeezed tightly shut, he remained otherwise silent, considering he knew damn well how much he deserved that.

Havoc calmly wiped blood away from his lips with his thumb, licking his teeth. "You damn well deserved that, Mustang. I hope it scars, just to spite you."

"I'm not saying that I didn't deserve it..." Roy lifted a hand to his neck, felt the warm blood against his fingertips. "It's obvious that I did deserve it, and if it doesn't scar there really would be no point in the gesture, would there?"

Havoc fought the urge to strangle Roy. "Damn, that took all the satisfaction out of it..." He sighed. "Just stop being so goddamn pessimistic all the time. Please."

Roy chuckled lightly, turning his head, albeit a bit painfully, to look at Havoc. "I'll do what I can, and nothing more."

"... now if only I had your work ethic..."

Roy frowned slightly, tapping Havoc's nose with one finger. "Should I be flattered or take that as sarcasm... ah..." he paused, noting that Havoc's nose now had blood on it. "Hn.."

Havoc scrubbed the blood off with a hand. "You're a mess now." He nodded towards Roy's neck. "And you're still bleeding."

"I suppose I should do something about that then..." Even in saying so, Roy didn't bother to look away and tend to the wound.

Havoc rolled his eyes. "Will you at least _try_ to take care of yourself?"

"I should..." Roy cupped his hand over the wound again. "You could help, you know..."

Havoc got up, stretching. "Well, tell me where the bandages and antiseptics are and I'd be glad to."

Roy gestured with his free hand towards the cabinet across from the foot of the bed. "I think it's in there, I haven't really been paying attention..."

Havoc sighed and began rooting through the cabinet. "You're pretty worthless, you know that?" He tossed back a roll of bandages and came up with some antiseptics.

"Deserving or not, you didn't have to bite _that_ hard, Jean..." Roy could feel the blood dripping down his neck, around his fingers. "You know the nurse is going to have a fit when she sees this.."

"Well, with your luck, you're probably going to get carted off for rabies shots. God knows why, because I'm certainly _not_ rabid, but some doctors are insisting that I am and want me completely quarentined." He soaked a cottonball with antiseptic fluid and pried Roy's fingers away. "I won't say that you deserve rabies shots because I wouldn't wish those on my worst enemy, but do deserve every single twinge of pain. Brace yourself." He swiped the icy-cold and soaking ball over the bruised, bleeding skin of Roy's neck before the smaller man could protest. "This isn't so bad..."

Mustang cringed visibly, hissing once more through his teeth at the stinging pain, however short-lived. "Hah... can lions even get rabies? I wouldn't know myself... I thought it was typically rodents and dogs..." He smirked through the pain. "Will you stay and take my mind off the pain for a while? I think it's fair to say that you owe me that much... Jean..."

"Apparently, any mammal can get rabies, it's just more common in lunches and dogs..." Havoc apparantly didn't notice the slip of phrasing, wrapping the messed cottonball in a bandage and shooting it into the trash can. "H'mm... I went in pretty deep, sir. Sorry about that..."

It took a moment for Roy to figure out just what the hell lunches had anything to do with rabies, before he just blinked and gave himself a mental smack for that one. "I... see... it'll heal, don't worry about it..." He didn't bother to try and push the other question that Havoc had so blatantly avoided answering.

Havoc pressed a sterile pad against the sluggishly bleeding wound, somehow managing a roll of bandages and coming out with a neatly wrapped neck. "Feel better now?"

"A little, I suppose... thank you..." The dark-haired man flexed his fingers a bit, seeing as they seemed to have fallen asleep somehow. "The next shift nurse shouldn't be here until dinnertime..." Roy paused briefly, "if you want to stay, that is.."

Havoc snorted out a quick laugh. "Like I have anywhere else to go. I'm _still_ recovering from Ed's last outburst and have abolutely ziltch desire to go within a fory-foot radius of that stupid gopher."

"I see..." Roy turned just enough to be able to lean against Havoc's shoulder, a slightly distant look in his one eye.

Havoc nuzzled into Roy's ear. "Something wrong?"

"Just thinking..." Roy titled his head a bit, leaning a little more.

Havoc sighed. "Suit yourself."

Roy shifted again, this time resting his head in Havoc's lap and looking up at the chimera. It was easier to do that than to turn his head, but either way, it was more comfortable. "So..."

Havoc blinked and yawned sedately. "So what?"

Roy reached up with one hand to cup Havoc's cheek gently. "We've got several hours to kill, what do you think?"

_Damn_. "I'm not sure I follow, sir," he said neutrally, carefully keeping his blue-green eyes vapidly blank.

Roy frowned slightly, sitting up. "Fine then..." He moved again, this time resting his head rightfully on the pillow, back facing Havoc.

"You should take it easy sir. If I feel like I just got pounded by a butcher, you probably feel worse."

Roy curled up slightly into a fetal position on top of the covers, sighing slightly. "Alright, sure..."

Havoc got up, tugging on the coverlet until Roy grudgingly shited. Gently, he rearranged the obviously sulking man and drew the covers up over him.

Roy, being in a shitty mood for some reason, decided to give no thanks for the gesture.

Havoc kissed Roy's temple. "Cheer up, or I'm going to walk out on you."

Roy pondered something for a moment. "You know... Other than the fact that you just showed a minimal amount of affection, I'm highly reminded of the first time..."

"Your fault, not mine," Havoc said, still cheerfully blasé. "I'm _trying_ to be nice."

"Do you even know what I'm talking about?"

"Vaguely." Havoc tried to keep the mask up and plausable, but his patience was wearing dangerously thin.

"Whatever happened to the cats?" For some reason, Roy was mildly curious.

"Living with family. My mom and sister adopted them – they said that it was too dangerous for them to continue living with me." Havoc lifted a shoulder in a quick shrug. "I agreed. I didn't want them starving if I died."

"Ah..." Roy reached out, taking hold of Havoc's wrist and pulling him down so that they were nose to nose. He simply grinned.

Havoc blinked, trying to wrap his mind around the sudden change in attitude. "Sir, aside from the unnatural amounts of stress you're under, are you feeling okay? I don't object at all to this, but damn, you're confusing."

"I'm quite fine, Lieutenant, but thank you for your concern..." Roy definitely wasn't going to let go anytime soon, either.

"Um." Havoc tugged slightly against Roy's deathgrip on his wrist, grinning faintly. "Remind me again why I put up with you?"

Roy brushed his lips lightly against Havoc's, still tasting just the slightest metallic tinge of blood. "Because you love me?"

Havoc pretended to think about that. "Yeah, I think that might be a part of it..."

Roy hummed softly, leaning up to catch another kiss, still light, but longer.

Havoc grinned slightly, nuzzling Roy. "How broke are you?"

Roy blinked, just staring for a moment. "Pardon?"

He poked the smaller man in the side, tickling slightly. "How badly are you hurt?"

Roy blinked again, then chuckled lightly. "Not too bad now... Miss Delgardie's treatment really speeds things up a bit..." He grinned again, squeezing Havoc's waist lightly in his grip. "Why do you ask...?"

"Because I worry about you. Besides, when you're hurt, you have these really unpredictable mood swings... almost like a pregnant woman."

Roy's visible eye twitched slightly. "You... gah... dammit Jean!" Havoc was promptly shoved straight off the bed.

Havoc hit the floor with a solid thud, laughing cheerfully. "Ohhhh... the look on your face was _priceless_!"

Roy shook his head, content to grin rather than laugh. "I'm so glad that I could be of amusement, too bad you didn't have a camera."

Havoc snickered. "You're just jealous that I came up with a decent insult for once."

Roy shrugged. "Sure..." He really didn't know what else to do.

Havoc slowly picked himself up, wincing at the ominous creak in his knee. In a rather dignified manner, he brushed off his butt and arms. "Well. Since I seem to have pulled you somewhat out of that funk of yours, I'll be off to see if anything else interesting is happening."

"I see..." Roy frowned just slightly. "I should get some rest before I get fussed at by another nurse then..." That said, he pulled the covers up to his chin, rolling over on his side. "Bring me a snack or something later, will you?"

Havoc snorted. "What am I, your personal slave?"

"Didn't know you were into that sort of thing, Jean... but I guess if you want to be..." Roy chuckled a bit, grinning.

Havoc turned his head, face crumpled in an elaborate expression of utter disbelief. "You're loony."

Roy chuckled again, running his fingers through his hair. "I was just playing..."

Havoc shoved his hands into his pockets, sticking his tongue out. "My brain isn't your personal bouncy-ball, either."

Roy thought about that for a moment, and then burst out laughing.

Havoc's eye began to twitch. It was becoming one hell of a chronic condition, lately. "Care to let me in on the joke, Mustang?"

Roy slowly managed to stop laughing, trying to slow his breathing back to normal. "It's just... ahah... the mental image of... -snicker-... your brain as a bouncy ball..." And at that point he couldn't stop himself, falling victim to yet another laughing fit.

The chimera resisted the urge to bat the insane human around the head and shoulders.

The door snicked open and a new nurse popped her head in. "Civilians aren't allowed in this wing," she said snippily.

Now Havoc _really_ wanted to hurt something.

Roy shook his head, managing once more to calm down. "Does he _look_ like a civilian to you, ma'am?"

"He's not in the roster, he's unauthorized. Therefore, he's civilian."

Havoc growled, barely audible. He hooked his tags out form underneath his shirt. "I'm authorized, lady."

Roy sighed, shaking his head once more. "Here with dinner, or just to check on me?"

The nurse's eyes widened and she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, sirs. The previous nurse on duty said that there was a troublemaker bothering Mustang so I was sent to kick you out. I had no idea you were sent by the Fuhrer himself..." She disappeared, apologizing profusely.

Havoc smiled, smug. "Score one for the misfit."

One eye rested a bit sorrowfully, a bit angrily on the tags, and Roy rolled back over again, determined just to get some goddamn sleep.

Havoc rolled his eyes and muttered, "Touchy bastard."

"Shut up..." Roy waved a hand. "Weren't you going to go do something?"

Havoc gritted his teeth. He... didn't know what to do. "Just... get over yourself, Mustang. There's not a damn thing any of us could have done about it."

Roy rolled over again, one eye focusing on Havoc again. "I'm _tired_, Jean... Just do whatever it is you've got to do and let me rest..."

Havoc shrugged, grinning lopsidedly. "Of course. How thoughtless of me." He left closing the door silently behind him, choosing not to comment further.

Roy sighed and closed his eyes, drifting off into what would be a rather uneasy sleep.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	34. Solutions and Old Times' Sake

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Solutions and Old Times' Sake

* * *

Rating:** R (Language, smut...yay..)  
**Pairings:** Do I need to keep saying this over and over?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA. Don't sue meeeee!  
**Spoilers:** Hell if I know anymore :D  
**Setting:** Secret medical facility, Ed's room, then Havoc's apartment.  
**Timeline:** A day or two after the previous section.

* * *

Edward stared with half-violet eyes, idly examining the crack in the floor at his feet from where he sat, curled in a ball in the corner of the room. He was hungry, and it was uncomfortable here. There was no bed, no blankets, and his sleep was suffering from it. A heavy sigh escaped his lips and he rubbed his eyes again. 

Lisa quickly checked her wristwatch, running up the front stairs of the hospital. Jean and Izumi both were supposed to meet her in the foyer, and she was fifteen minutes late, but it was worth it... in a warped way.

Izumi had found how to more completely seal off Blasphemy from Edward and she had found Al. Or, more correctly... what was left of Al.

Jean hailed her from the portico, and she ran up to him, nearly falling into his arms. "I found Al," she gasped. "He'll be here in fifteen minutes. I got a military escort for him, so..."

Jean took the cigarette out of his mouth. "Whoah, calm down, Lisa. You found Al?" She nodded. "Ed'll be happy about that."

"Are you kidding? Ed'll try to kill everything in a ten-foot radius."

Blue-green cat's-eyes narrowed as he twigged to her mood. "I think you'll have to tell Izumi..."

Ed didn't even bother looking up when he heard the deadbolt, he'd learned that no matter how many times it sounded, it would always just be more people looking in the window or sliding food through the hole. Felt like a damn jail, and he was being treated no better than some prisoner anyway. He supposed it was because of the other voice, but nobody ever told him anything...

Izumi rolled her eyes as the army officer unlocked the door. The chimerae were bickering. _Again_.

"No, Lisa, I am NOT going to use a handgun on Ed, no matter how obnoxious he gets!"

"That little brat has shown absolutely squat compunction about killing you. You know why? Because you're one of the sweetest men in the world, and that little terror can't stand it! If I had my way, you wouldn't even be here!"

The army officer looked at the two sulky chimerae, eyes wide. "Um..."

Izumi pushed him out of the way, snapping, "An army car will be round front in five minutes. I want the passenger here in eight. If he's late, I swear to god I'll inflict those two _and_ Elric on you. Move it, man!" The officer ran like a rabbit.

She looked at the still-sulking Havoc. "Look, you, ignore what she says. She's just jealous –" Lisa squawked. The two chimera started fighting _again_. This was getting irksome.

There were voices in the hall outside his room, and Ed absently let his eyes trail from the crack in the floor towards the door. Some of the voices sounded somewhat familiar...

Izumi's eye began twitching. "Would you two SHUT UP! Havoc, if you have to, get out the gun. Lisa, I want you to go get Mustang. He was supposed to be here ten minutes ago."

"There's really no need to call in a search party... Sorry I'm late, but the nurse kept hassling me about everything she could possibly think of that could be wrong with me..." Roy flashed a smile. "Miss Delgardie... Mrs. Curtis..."

"Not surprised," Havoc commented, nodding vaguely towards Roy's neck. "Say, how much trouble am I going to be in?"

Izumi nudged the door. "Save it for later, gentlemen. The little hellion is getting restless, and I'd rather that we didn't run into Blasphemy."

Taking a moment to look around, Roy blinked. "So he's not here yet?"

"That's the damnedest part of it. Anyway, the only capacity you two are in are to restrain the liitle shit." Lisa tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "We're assuming we only have a few minutes to do the alterations, and Alphonse should be here in four minutes or so."

Edward now realized how several of the voices sounded familiar, if not all. He could clearly pick out Havoc from the mumbling somehow, and, much to his chagrin, Izumi as well.

Roy nodded, looking to the door. "Then let's get going, we've got no time to spare..."

Havoc grinned. It was forced, but it was a grin. "All the crazy-assed things I've had to do for you two, and I'm stuck baby-sitting a homicidal maniac. What is this world coming to?"

Izumi grabbed both of the men by the front of their uniforms. "Look, not a word out of you two that Al's coming. It's not going to be pretty when he does come, so let's try to keep it quiet." She gave them a small push, rather abruptly forcing them into Ed's room. "Be there in a sec."

"Well, damn," Havoc commented lightly.

A weary smile managed to quirk its way onto Ed's lips at the sight of Roy and Jean. The smile turned into a slight frown when he noticed the patch over Roy's eye, but he'd known about that incident already, though it was still painful to see.

He opened his mouth to greet them, but felt distinctly that it would be the other voice, not his, that spouted crudities, so he shut it again, merely offering that sad, weary smile once more.

Havoc smiled and nodded back. "You look better, kiddo," he offered, only slightly forced. "Did Izumi tell you at all what's going on?"

Shakily, Ed got to his feet, stumbling a bit to lean heavily against the table in the center of the room. All he could offer was a slightly confused look and a shake of his head.

Glancing around, Roy found that, to his dismay, there were no chairs in the room. What angered him more, however, was the fact that there was really almost _nothing at all_ in the room. There was only a single table in the very center, that appeared to have straps on it for restraint. No bed, no covers, no pillows, nothing.

He'd have to have a talk with whoever was in charge of this facility, because he wasn't just going to let them off keeping Edward locked up like some kind of criminal. Perhaps soon would be better, seeing that Ed really did look a bit worse for the wear, whether because of Blasphemy, or because of the conditions, perhaps even a mixture of both, he didn't know. Nor did he really care.

Havoc warily kept his distance, but his tone of voice was still kind and gentle, the sort that he used on shellshocked soldiers. "Izumi's going to try something out on your array. She thinks that the Dragon Node is wrong. That ring any bells?"

Izumi waited quietly, needing Ed's permission to approach. She didn't particularly want to get mauled by automail, after all.

The boy nodded slowly, not quite understanding, though maybe just slightly recognizing what Havoc was talking about.

"Good. We'll explain more later..." Havoc cautiously felt for his gun. He didn't want to be caught unprepared this time. "Could Izumi come in and check you out?"

Once again, Ed nodded, albeit a bit confused by the heavy atmosphere surrounding not one, but all of his apparent guests.

Havoc kept talking as Izumi moved cautiously forward. "I'm not quite sure what's completely wrong with you. But I'm pretty sure that you'll be good to go after we're done. I'm going to hurt the bastards that stuck you in here myself. Then I'm going to take you home for a proper meal, shower, and rest. I still owe you one, you know."

Roy sighed, standing off to the side a bit. He supposed that Havoc pretty much had it under control. Though it bothered him, that he always seemed to just stand on the sidelines in these situations...

The look on Ed's face still showed confusion, as well as a bit of skepticism. He looked from Havoc to Izumi and back, as if to say 'What? What's wrong with you guys, you're acting funny!'

Havoc nudged Roy. "A little help here?" he hissed. "I'm not a genius!"

Izumi held out a hand. "Ed, come here. There's a lot these two morons aren't telling you, and for right now, it's for your own good."

Roy, at a loss for words, simply smiled, nodding towards Edward.

Ed nodded again, stepping carefully towards Izumi as directed, stumbling just a bit still.

Acting on pure instinct, Havoc reached out to steady Ed, slipping around Izumi and Roy in the process. "Whoa, steady, kiddo. What the hell have they been feeding you?"

Ed was inclined to say 'not a whole fucking lot,' but instead it came out differently. "Hands off, jackass.."

Roy averted his gaze elsewhere, deciding to study the floor.

Havoc held off going for the gun in the slim hope that Ed/Blasphemy/whoever the hell this person was would cooperate. "You can't even walk straight, kid. I'm not letting go."

Izumi stopped dead, gauging the trouble. This could be very, very bad.

Appalled by his own words, Edward dropped his head, letting out a slow, steady breath. When he looked up again, it was apologetic.

The chimera smiled, hoping it didn't look as sickly and uneasy as he felt. "Don't worry kid. We're going to try to fix it."

Ed swayed a bit, leaning against Havoc for support.

"Don't worry... Everything will be alright..." Roy spoke up finally, though the waver in his voice was painfully obvious.

Izumi motioned for Mustang to get his butt over to where the three of them were, pronto. "All right, young 'un, you're helping me with this. It takes two to tango, and I need all the help I can get."

Havoc slipped his arms around Ed. "This shouldn't take too long, all right?"

Roy did as instructed, fearing a beating from the Ninja Housewife. At the receiving end of one of the most pathetic looks he'd ever seen on Ed's face, he did his best to force a smile, ruffling the blond's hair a bit.

Havoc held Ed more securely, bracing himself.

"You remember what the array looks like?" Izumi asked Mustang, delicately feeling around for Ed's array.

"Me? Aren't you the one working on it?" Roy answered, utterly confused as to why he would have to remember it.

Izumi sighed. "I need _help_ genius. This is tricky."

Roy nodded this time, pointedly avoiding Edward's confused and unsure gaze. "I do... just tell me what I need to do..."

Havoc gently stroked Ed's hair. "It'll be okay, kiddo... Roy and Izumi are both here, they won't let anything bad happen..."

Izumi glanced warily at the three men, then nudged Mustang into position. "Just keep up the alchemical charge. I'll do the delicate work. On my count. Three. Two. One." The soft blue alchemical charge lit up the room, leaving a streaky white afterprint on Havoc's delicate eyes.

It was as though he'd just been plunged into freezing water, shivers spiking throughout his body. Ed twitched, almost feeling sick. This... this was like nothing he had ever felt before, worse than when they had attached his automail ports, more painful than when the limbs were reattached to the ports. Ten times worse than before when he had been thrown back at the gate by the laughing voice that insulted him.

Edward tried to keep still, knew he had to, but every muscle in his entire body wanted to act on its own... _Be strong, gotta be strong.._ He didn't know how much longer he could stand it, as though it was driving him _mad_! If he'd screamed, he didn't know, all he could hear was the ringing in his ears.

Havoc gripped the boy tighter, feeling him go limp. He knew the major discomfort of being in the backlash was almost nothing to what Ed was going through.

Izumi gritted her teeth. Something had snagged. The array didn't want to change, which was ludicrous. Any and all arrays had to respond obediently to an alchemist's touch but this was being bloody _stubborn_. She forced the Node to change, little by little.

Despite the pain, physically and emotionally, Roy made sure to keep everything as steady as possible. After all, it was the only thing he could do right now to help Ed..

Rationally, Havoc knew he wasn't getting the worst of the reaction. He had to keep telling himself that, or risk passing out. His entire body ached, and certain portions hurt more than others. His upper arms, for example...

A short sideglance told Roy that Havoc was a bit worse for the wear. "Hang in there, Jean..."

Havoc grinned lopsidedly. "Don't give up on me yet, old man."

Roy managed a grin back. "There you go with that 'old man' business again... I'm just reminding you of your promise..."

Havoc's smile had definately taken on a brittle, strained edge by then. "Come on, I'm too bullheaded to crap out at something like this."

"I know that..." Roy focused back on the alchemy. He wanted to ask how much longer this would take, but he didn't want to break the scary alchemist woman's concentration. For Ed's sake, and the sake of his already aching body.

Izumi bit her lip, twisting the last few marks around. Just connect the Node and... _bingo_.

"Is that it..?" Cautious, Roy awaited further instructions.

Izumi nodded, too tired to speak.

Nodding again in response, Roy moved to help Havoc with Ed's limp form. "Are you alright?"

As soon as Ed's deadweight was removed, Havoc thumped down onto the floor, his entire body aching. "Damn it, no."

As soon as Havoc wasn't supporting Ed anymore, Roy was reinformed of just how heavy dead-weight automail was. He hit the ground shortly after Jean, shoving just a bit so he could breathe properly. "I commend you for holding him up that long.."

"Thanks ever so," Havoc growled, forearms pressed across his stomach. He wanted to keep face, so he restrained the urge to curl up in a whimpering pile. "Dammit..."

Roy had thought it was the weight on his chest that had made it hard to breathe, but soon found it was just that the alchemical process had completely winded him. He'd ignored the aching up until now, but the splitting headache was almost enough for him to pass out. "Don't mention it..."

Havoc clamped his jaws around a pathetic little mewl. "Well, aren't we a sight to see. Three half-dead alchemists and a half-dead cat. I _never_ signed up for any of this crap."

"Welcome to our world," Izumi wheezed from a corner. "This is our job, boyo."

"We don't have much time until Alphonse gets here... Are we really in any shape to deal with Edward finding out about that right now?" Roy gazed down at the sleeping boy in his lap, a bit sadly.

"I don't think so, no." Havoc smiled wistfully, reaching out painfully to brush Ed's hair. "I still have my gun, but I don't want to use that." He laughed. "Dammit, I _am_ getting old, aren't I?"

He noted with some relief that the weird marks/arrays on his skin were fading slowly, and the pain was fading, too.

"Then what are we supposed to do? I don't think delay is such a good idea..." Roy moved Edward over so that his head rested in Havoc's lap now instead of his own. Despite a mild protest from his legs, he managed to stand, leaning just slightly against the wall. "I'd like to see Alphonse before we bring him in here... he..." Mustang hesitated, perhaps it wasn't such a good idea... but it would be better than deceiving any longer. "He was my subordinate, after all..."

Havoc's eye did a first-rate twitch. "_What_!"

Izumi's explosion could be heard on the other side of the base.

Roy was a bit on the pathetic side at the moment, trying to catch his breath and retain at least some amount of dignity while curled on the floor with his hands cupped between his legs. "Can I... please... explain now..."

"Two minutes," Izumi barked, looking rather bloodthirsty.

Havoc scooted as far and as fast away from her as he could. Dragging Ed along, of course.

Roy slid into a sitting position, back to the wall. "It was shortly after Edward... shortly after I was informed of his death... Alphonse came to that year's exam... I was unaware of this until the Fuhrer fobbed him off under my command as the Miracle Alchemist... I tried to get him to resign, but he refused each time.." Running his fingers through his damp hair, he sighed.

"I believe that his sole intention for joining the military was to have access to the books that Edward had read, and to revive his brother. Near the middle of the third year since Edward's death, he stopped contacting me. It was several months before I received word that he had brought Edward back. He sounded overjoyed, and told me of their current location..." Roy paused again, closing his eye.

"By the time I had arrived, he was nowhere to be found... It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I even knew what had happened..." He looked towards Izumi. "I'm sorry... that I couldn't protect either of them..."

Izumi's impending explosion was cut off by a discreet knock on the door. "Izumi? Jean? Mustang? Alphonse is here."

The hair on the back of Havoc's neck rose. Whatever that animalistic sixth sense he had now was, it screamed, 'RUN. NOW.' A whine wormed its way out of his throat.

Edward stirred slightly in Havoc's arms. "Nnngh... hhn.. ah.." One pure-golden eye opened slowly, followed by a second, no hint of violet in sight. "A... Al... where... where's Al... he's here... isn't he..." Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes, cringing just slightly at the soreness in his muscles and looking towards the door. "I... want to see him... let me... see him... Al..."

Roy sat in frozen trepidation as Ed rose, only able to watch as the boy tried to walk, staggering for the door. This would be bad... there was no doubting it...

With a curse, Havoc surged up when Ed lost his balance, gripping and supporting the kid around the waist. "Dammit, Ed, take things slow! I'll be pissed at you if you fall over and knock your head against something." He moved his hands up to Ed's back, giving him something to lean against. "Okay, _now_ try it."

"Jean... I don't... feel.. so good..." Ed leaned more heavily back against Havoc, trying to keep his eyes focused. Not too long after, though, he slipped back into unconsciousness.

Roy let out a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding. Perhaps disaster could be averted for just a little while...

Then again, how would IZUMI react to Alphonse's current state... Okay, this could _still_ be bad...

Havoc looked helplessly back at Roy. "Any ideas?"

Roy shrugged. Sure there were things he could think of, but none of them were necessarily _appropriate_ for this situation... He'd wanted to see Alphonse, but he wasn't sure if he could face that right now anymore.

"Look, I'll just stash Ed somewhere relatively safe until he recovers. He's obviously not up to seeing whatever's gotten your knickers in a twist. Other than that..." Havoc shrugged, or tried to. It didn't work so well with an automail-heavy teen leaning against him.

Izumi had managed to get herself sorted out. "Well, Lisa and I will get Alphonse into a hotel or something." She flicked her fingers at the men. "Go home and get some sleep. You look terrible."

Roy nodded absently, getting to his feet in order to help with Ed. "Surprisingly heavy for being so small, hm?"

Havoc grunted, trying to get the deadweight into a manageable position. "So where we going? You're in charge now, sir, so make a good decision."

"Somewhere more hospitable than this room, that's for sure... other than that... I don't think we're allowed to leave this facility yet..." Mustang pondered just where in this place they could have at least a little privacy, he didn't want to be bothered constantly by nurses like before...

Havoc bit his lip. "Well... I used to be a pro at sneaking out of hospitals. Want to try?"

"Yes but could you sneak out of a hospital with high level security carrying a nineteen-year-old piece of deadweight? And would it really be such a good idea to leave here? Fawkes might still be around... It worries me..." Roy made to help carry Edward.

"Fawkes wouldn't need to do anything," Havoc said quietly. "He wants all three of us alive and kicking. It's no fun if we can't fight back."

"Then why this?" Roy pointed at the eyepatch. "And why Edward?"

Havoc looked slightly sick. "All I can guess is because you're in the way. He's going after the Fuhrer and..." He wavered. "I can understand what he's doing and why. It makes perfect sense. The only thing I don't get..." All the blood dropped out of Havoc's face, and he looked dangerously close to passing out.

Roy put a hand on Havoc's shoulder. "Jean, you okay? You look like..." he paused at the look on the younger man's face. "Shit... Jean?"

"'M fine," he managed. Something in his brain was trying to be heard. Whatever it was wasn't pleasant... "Oh, fuck," he breathed. "A warning shot." If anything, that made him want to throw up _then_ pass out.

Roy was utterly confused. Pretty much all he could gather was that something was wrong. He had no idea what it was, and didn't even know if he _wanted_ to know. Unless he could help of course. "What? What's _wrong_ dammit, I can't do anything if you don't tell me!"

"What would you do if you were a homicidal maniac of a chimera with a rather perverse penchant for toying with your victims? You wouldn't kill them. You'd fire a sort of warning shot to them... causing as much damage as possible without actually _killing_ them. After all, it's much more fun to torment them then actually kill them."

What disturbed him wasn't Fawkes' apparent plan, but the ease with which he understood and sympathized with that course of action.

"Then what do you propose we do... We can't just hide forever, he'll find us.. We also can't just go out like we are now, either.." Roy pondered something. "Where have you been staying lately?"

Havoc looked at Roy strangely. "My apartment. Where else?"

Roy just gaped. "They let you out of here!?"

Havoc nodded, the motion clipped and tense. He didn't want to tell Roy how or why because he _knew_ that all hell would break loose, and that was the last thing they needed then. "I can probably get the three of us out with a little hassle."

"Then let's get out of here... this room has a heavy atmosphere I don't like..." Roy stepped towards the door.

"Watch for flying bullets," Havoc said sarcastically. He followed Roy like a good little subordinate, still wrestling with something in the back of his brain.

Roy paused, hand on the doorknob. Turning, he grinned a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I feel silly for not knowing, but could you lead the way? I have no idea where this place is. I can only get back and forth from here to my own room now..."

"We're basically at a dead-end stairwell in the west wing of the hospital. The exit's fairly close by... in fact, I think you got stuck in the same room that I was in when I first got back to Central." He slid past Roy, still juggling the unconcious pile of Ed. "Come on, then."

Roy nodded, following close behind. He was glad to get out of that room, even more glad to get out of this damned hospital... place... whatever the hell this was.

Havoc ambled through the hospital, almost pretending that he wasn't carrying Ed. Not one nurse or doctor gave him a look, though many were tossed Roy's way. Havoc just ignored it.

Heaving a sigh, Roy did his best to ignore the looks as well as Havoc. It's not like he asked for them or anything!

The trick to being inconspicuous, Havoc had found out, was to walk upright, with your eyes looking straight ahead. Not half-shut or wide open, just ahead. You weren't supposed twitch or fidget, just go at a fairly sedate pace until you were where you wanted to be. And ninety-nine percent of the time, people thought you were actually doing something you were supposed to do.

His little escape was also aided by the fact he was in uniform and most of the important people knew that he was bearing the Fuhrer's tags.

"Calm down," he said conversationally to Roy. "You're making people stare."

The smaller man perked at that. He hadn't thought he was doing a damn thing wrong. "Am I that bad at this?"

"You look like you're out on review. Relax. Look straight ahead, maybe even slouch a bit. Don't look nervous about doing something you know damn well is something you're not supposed to do." Havoc shrugged one shoulder. "In short, you suck at this."

The dark-haired man let out a light chuckle at that. "I guess so, it's just that I've got a lot on my mind, you know that..."

Havoc smiled sympathetically. "I can guess. But still, relax, otherwise we're going to get caught."

Roy nodded, and did his best to act as casual as Havoc was.

A few minutes later, they were out free. Havoc grinned cheerfully. "Okay, Roy, now that we're out of the hospital, _you_ take Ed. My knee's beginning to hurt pretty badly."

Roy nodded shortly, somehow managing to get Ed on his back (it would be easier that way, he thought). Some thought rose from the back of his mind, and Roy found himself thinking about the nature of his relationships with both Edward and Jean. It made him frown as he walked along after the taller blond, brow furrowed thoughtfully.

His feet carried him along what was now a familiar route, once he was out of that god-awful complex. He didn't notice when Havoc stopped to unlock the door, and incidentally ran right into him. By some miracle, he managed to stay upright without dropping Ed, but it roused him from his thoughts.

Havoc yelped. "Roy, what's wrong with you?" he demanded, taking off his jacket and throwing it onto a coffeetable littered with mugs, newspapers, and books. He turned around, hands on hips. "You keep spacing out on me at random intervals – are you hungry, sick, or tired?"

Roy lay Edward down on the couch, taking a seat on the chair opposite. "Is there a 'D: All of the above'?"

"Figured you'd say that. You think you can get by with a peanutbutter and strawberry jam sandwich and coffee until I actually manage to go get something from the grocery store? Or get may landlady to?"

"Sounds like a deal..." Roy managed a somewhat tired smile.

Havoc quirked a sardonic little half-smile. "Aw, hell, man. Sit back. Relax. Get some sleep if you can. I'll wake you up if your stomah growls." He went into the kitchen, humming quietly to himself.

Roy sighed, watching Havoc's retreating back. There were things he wanted more than sleep or food right now, but he'd just have to deal.

Havoc stuck the butt of the knife in his mouth, putting the third (or fifth – he was too loopy to count) together. Damn. A cigarette would be very nice right about now... the coffee was ready and he grabbed a couple of mugs and a plate and balanced the entire mess out into the living room, knife still in his mouth.

Roy got to his feet, snatching the knife out of Havoc's mouth and helping with the plate. "Shouldn't just walk around with something sharp like that in your mouth.."

"What am I going to do? Fall down and get it shoved down my throat?" Havoc handed a mug to Roy after the smaller man had put down the plate. "There. It's high-test, so drink it cautiously."

Having just taken a bite of sandwich, Roy nearly choked at his mind's reaction to Havoc's words. Clearing his throat, he nodded. "You never know, it could happen."

"What the...?" Havoc looked at Roy strangely for the second time in an hour. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

Roy heroically resisted the urge to say 'YOU', instead opting for a shake of his head. "Nothing... nothing..."

He shrugged, pulling out a cigarette from its pack with his teeth and lighting up. "Honestly, man, you confuse the hell out of me sometimes."

"I live for it." Roy replied, not entirely sarcastic, not entirely serious either, as he finished the first sandwich.

Havoc leaned back against the wall, arms folded. "Why does this not surprise me one lick?"

"Because you know me too well by now..." Roy glanced up, a slight glint in his eye.

"You said it, not me..." That glint in his eye made Havoc want to run into the bathroom and barricade himself in... though... _this could be fun_...

Roy tilted his head the slightest bit, smirk quirking the corners of his lips. "It's true though... you know me too well sometimes..."

"Not entirely my fault... speaking of faults, its _your_ fault that the crack in the ceiling is still there, even after three years."

Roy answered with a charming smile. "But I'm not wrong in saying that what you got instead was far better than fixing a crack in the ceiling... am I?"

Havoc snorted. Tapping the ash off his cigarette, he retorted, "In a manner of speaking, yes..."

"Care to forget about that crack again?" Roy's grin was purely feral. Apparantly, he'd given up on subtlety.

"Er..." Havoc pointed to Ed. "Kid on the sofa?"

Roy grumbled slightly. "He's _asleep_, Jean... and besides, it's not like he wouldn't join in if he woke up..."

Havoc's cheeks pinked. "Er..."

Roy smirked again, leaning forward, gaze half-lidded. "Well...?"

Defiant to the last, Havoc said petulantly, "Well, what?"

"It's been a long week..." Roy rose from his chair finally, draping himself against Havoc and effectively pinning the taller man against the wall. "Come on, Jean... humor me...?"

He sighed, finally giving in.

Roy practically purred, nibbling at Havoc's collarbone through his shirt. Several thoughts crossed his mind at the time, all of them logical, though he didn't really care to trust them.

The taller man gave out a strangled 'meep'. "Look, maybe we should move this into the bedroom?"

One eye looked up at Havoc through a fall of black bangs. "I can get what I want right here..." One hand trailed slowly up the inside of Havoc's thigh, rubbing lightly at the juncture of hip and leg.

Havoc yelped. His knees almost gave out on him (it was because it was still sore dammit!). He inhaled slowly. "Fucking bastard."

Roy nipped playfully up under Havoc's chin, toying with the button on his pants idly. "Come on..."

"Not like I'm stopping you or like I particularly can..."

"Sure you could, if you wanted to... you could at least enjoy it a little, you know..." Roy paused for a moment, glancing up at Havoc again. "I'll even get down on my knees for you if you want me to..."

Havoc bit his lip, eyes startled. "You don't have to..." He smiled. "That's my job, anyway..."

Licking his lips, Roy grinned. "Then by all means... do your job..."

"All right, But I'm not undressing you."

Roy shrugged at that, tugging a bit at his shirt to loosen it from where it had been tucked into his rather plain dress pants (he hadn't felt like getting decked in military garb today, anyway, this was more comfortable, and handy in such situations as the current), undoing the buttons one by one.

He was a bit miffed though that it couldn't be more like that first time. Mostly because Jean wouldn't do the honors in removing his pants.

Havoc grinned mischeviously at the look on Roy's face, guessing easily the reason. "Your own silly fault for not keeping me on a short leash," he purred.

Now Roy _had_ thought about leashes before... "I wanted you to find new ways to surprise me..." He undid the last button, running his fingers through his hair as he looked back up at Havoc.

"Oh? Like what? Sorry, you'll have to help me, I'm a bit dense." He removed his cigarette, pinching it out and tossing it easily into an available ashtray.

"Idiot, if I told you how to surprise me, then it wouldn't be surprising..." The smaller man dragged Havoc down into a rough kiss.

He chuckled. "I can't do anything if I don't know what you want..." He pulled back, nipping gently. "And if you insult me again, I'll lock you in the bathroom."

Roy growled softly. "I want you to make your own decisions, if you're doing something I don't like, I'll make sure you're the first to know about it."

Havoc sighed in mock-distress. "See? It's things like this that make me believe that I can think for myself." He twisted, shoving Roy back and up against the wall. "Shouldn't encourage the little kitten, now should you?" he murmured, running his tongue wetly down the smaller man's neck.

Roy tilted his head back a bit, arms sliding around Havoc's waist. "That was my intention from the beginning, though..."

Havoc's eyes flicked up to Roy's face briefly, before returning to nibbling his shoulder. "I feel loved."

"Oh, hush..." Roy managed to slip two fingers down the back of Havoc's pants, rubbing at the base of his spine.

Havoc yelped, his entire body shuddering briefly. He braced himself on his arms. "What is with you and that spot?"

Roy grinned, taking a moment to nibble Havoc's earlobe. "It's your reactions that make it so fascinating..."

Havoc stared at him. "Damn, you're weird," he said finally.

Roy bit down lightly. "Come on, enough talk..."

"Impatient, are we?" Havoc nipped his way down Roy's chest and stomach, finally pausing to nibble on his waistband.

Roy shivered lightly, looking down at Havoc. A vision from the past skirted across his vision, and he smiled softly, the fussing of little kitties on the other side of a bedroom door ringing in his ears for a moment.

The not-so-distant past flashed next, the memory of a semi-rough, warm tongue made him shudder involuntarily. That part would make this just that much better than the first time...

Havoc purred quietly, popping the catch and gently drawing down the cloth. "Do you think that you can stay quiet until I'm done?" he challenged, tongue flicking out to briefly touch bare, sensitive skin.

Roy shuddered again, grinning just a bit. "This again, hm? As long as you're not going to pull something like last time..."

He paused to consider that. "What a good idea."

Roy groaned. "But you remember... we're not _alone_ this time, Jean..." He shifted slightly, trying to get a bit more comfortable.

Havoc smiled up at him, blue-green eyes innocent as daisies. "What makes you think that we were alone then?"

Roy frowned. "They were cats, Jean... I doubt that listening to humans fuck makes them horny.."

"That wasn't quite what I meant. Severn was pissed at me for days." His tongue flicked out again.

A small shiver made its way up Roy's spine. "Well damn for smart cats then..." He was getting just slightly more than a little impatient.

Havoc hummed agreement, finally giving Roy what he wanted.

Obediently (or stubbornly, depending on who was looking at it), Roy bit back a groan. Idle fingers, in dire need of movement, sought out Havoc's hair, twining through two-toned strands.

Havoc purred at the not-quite-a-pet that he was recieving from Roy. He may have been almost-human, but there were a few perks that went along with the territory.

Roy felt the purr rather than hearing it, lips quirking into a bit of a smile. Shifting his fingers slightly, he began to scratch a bit more than rub.

Licking slowly and languidly, Havoc tilted his head a bit, allowing Roy to scratch more. His eyes lidded halfway, content.

Roy tilted his head back, hitting the wall with a dull thud. His hand continued to scratch, half-lidded gaze slipping in and out of focus as he stared at the ceiling, breaths coming in shorter intervals.

Havoc purred harder; Roy's fingers had hit a particularly nice spot. Fair's fair. He returned the favor twice over.

Forcing himself to relax, Roy found it much easier to stay quiet and not move. Eye closed and breaths short but steady, he almost felt that this way, it could last forever..

Carefully, gently, Havoc alternated hard licks with softer ones, always minding his tongue. He didn't mind doing this at all... he never minded submitting to either alchemist. Nipping softly, he smiled to himself. It's what made life so fun, anymore.

Roy felt he could spend eternity basking in this heat, melting into it, he could get used to this.. One swift, unchecked jerk of his hips and a moan nearly let slip reminded him that such things never were meant to last forever..

Havoc nuzzled the other man. "You can come any time now," he purred sweetly.

_Oh, is that so? Good to see I have your permission, Lieutenant.._ Roy simply grinned softly, letting this be drawn out as long as he could stand it.

"Bastard," Havoc said affectionately, catching the grin and knowing precisely what it meant. Half-sheathed claws raked over bare skin, accompanied by a particularly teasing lick.

Head tilted back once more, Roy took in a sharp breath, letting it out in almost a sigh. Claws sent shivers up and down his spine, and _that_ lick was just almost enough to see him slumped over Havoc's shoulders.

Cool blue-green eyes looked up and held coal black as Havoc slowly and deliberately repeated the scratch and lick, digging his claws in just a bit harder – not enough to break the skin, but enough to make their presence insistant. He nipped hard flesh, then soothed the sting away with a careful tongue.

Roy almost didn't catch the low moan that was rising in his throat, though his voice caught there and only wordless breaths slipped free. His hand had long since ceased its motions in Havoc's hair, in favor for a bit more of a solid grip, one hand on his shoulder to keep himself upright.

Havoc growled softly, eyes narrowing at the hard grip in his hair. He pulled back, pouting up at Roy, though his claws _did_ run, breath-light, over sensitive skin.

Roy let his head drop to look down at Havoc, realizing his grip and releasing it. He leaned down, best he could, a silent apology in a gentle kiss, a somewhat rough nip serving as an unspoken urge to continue.

Havoc obediently resumed, nipping, licking, and all together playing with Roy.

_This pace is too slow..._ One hand tightened on Havoc's shoulder, sweat beginning to bead on Roy's skin, dripping every so often downwards.

Havoc's muscles twitched, though he refused to notice it. Of course, he did notice the unspoken plea and completely gave in to Roy.

Worked up so high already, it didn't take long before Roy couldn't tell if he made a sound or not. It didn't take long then for his grip to tighten almost painfully, before going completely slack as he collapsed, barely holding himself up against Havoc.

Once he could focus again, Roy lifted his head, just enough to see the awed look on Edward's face. He still felt too heavy to move, only able to meet golden eyes, unknowing of what that look meant.

Havoc slowly put his arms around Roy, wincing as his shoulder complained. That was going to leave one hell of a bruise.

All Ed could do was stare. He'd never _seen_ Roy like that before! He knew damn well what was done, but it didn't make sense to him how Jean could make Roy lose it like that, and he couldn't... even though they did the same damn thing! Was Havoc just that much better than him? His hands clenched the edge of the couch cushions.

Roy swallowed hard, noting the boy's grip. "Ed..." He paused, really not knowing what to say.

Havoc froze solid. _Ohhhh, damn._

The ponytailed blond stood, making his way swiftly over to the two. Leaning down slightly, almost in the same movement, Ed captured Roy's mouth with a rough kiss.

Roy's one eye widened profusely, as the unquestionable prickling of a blush spread rapidly across his cheeks. That was... different... Not to mention entirely unexpected.

Ed pulled away, seemingly satisfied, and returned to the couch in order to munch on the leftover sandwiches.

Havoc let Roy go, squirming uncomfortably.

Roy's gaze was now set on the floor, as he subconsciously began rebuttoning his shirt. He still couldn't quite be sure what Edward's reaction to this incident was... the boy was downright confusing.

Havoc got up, wordlessly brushing down his pants. Then he disappeared into his room, presumably to get more comfortable clothes.

Running his fingers through his hair, Roy sighed, opting to curl up in the chair he'd been sitting in earlier, back to Ed for the time being.

Golden eyes focused solely on the food in front of him, and, suddenly, Ed remembered how awful the food had been back at... How did he get here? This was... unmistakeably Jean's apartment... Oh well, enough about that, there was edible food in front of him, and damn if he wasn't going to lick the plate.

Havoc returned in a few minutes, dressed in heavy denim work pants and a half-buttoned work shirt. "Ed, if you're hungry, I can go get something for you." His voice sounded eerily hollow in the somewhat strained silence.

The younger blond shivered at the sound, realized there were crumbs all over his face and that he was, indeed, licking the plate, put the plate down and stared. Edward's eyes focused again after about a minute, and he bolted off the couch in order to nearly bowl Havoc over.

The taller blond yelped, feeling like a miniature elephant had just gotten him in the midriff. "Or not?" he said weakly.

Roy slid from the chair to the couch, stretching out and making himself comfortable. Burying his face in the pillow, he attempted to doze.

"Where's Al... He's nearby, I know it..." Ed mumbled into Havoc's shirt.

Havoc's hand came up to gently stroke Ed's hair. "Izumi and Lisa are taking care of him at a hotel near the base. Lisa has my phone number, and they'll call sometime tomorrow. Don't even think about complaining," he said, cutting the boy off. "I have strict orders to get you fed, washed, and safely in bed." All right, so he was fudging things a bit. But the kid really did need some sleep and decent food.

Ed frowned slightly, thinking. "Why can't I go see him now, I'm perfectly fine!"

"Look, I don't want to get Izumi on my ass. She already did a number on Roy, and I'm pretty sure I'm next on her list if I screw up." He grabbed Ed's chin, forcing him to look up. "You _will_ do as I say, got that? No fighting, no arguing, no whining. You're a mess, you're half starved, and damn it, you need _rest_." He could only hope the kid was together enough that he could understand.

Ed threw his arms up around Havoc's neck, pulling just enough so that their noses touched. "Hmmm... I'll be a good boy and go to sleep if you'll agree to come tuck me in..." The grin on his face couldn't be a good thing.

Havoc sighed, closing his eyes in defeat. "Yes. If that's what you want, fine. But –" His eyes snapped open, shining with their own impish glee. He scooped Ed up easily. "You'll have to take a bath, first."

Edward squirmed in the taller man's arms, "Hey! HEY! Lemme down I can walk myself!" Despite his protests, he grinned, even laughed at this turn of events. "C'mon, I'm not a little kid you know!" Clinging to Havoc's neck, he planted a kiss on the chimera's cheek. "You gonna wash my back for me, then?"

Havoc chuckled, opening the door to the bathroom and somehow manouvering the both of them through it. "Well, yeah. Otherwise, you're not going to do it properly, yes?" He set Ed down and started rummaging around for towels, soap, and a washcloth. _Nice to have you back, kiddo..._

Testing the water, Ed found that it had still been switched to the showerhead, promptly getting minorly soaked before ducking out of the way. Since he had no doubts about who'd used it last, he set his water-strewn revenge on Havoc, shaking his head to splatter the taller man.

Havoc burst out laughing. Reaching out, he switched the water catch (setting the bath on at 'mildly hot') and flicked more water at Ed. "Strip down and get in while I get something clean for you."

One arm still held up in defense mode, Ed laughed. He felt like everything that had happened these past three years was just a dream, and that they were just living not-so-normal, normal lives like before. "Yeah, yeah." It wasn't hard to get out of the clothes he was in, though, seeing as somehow, Jean and Roy had managed to get him out of the hospital still dressed in those stupid clothes...

Disappearing briefly, Havoc returned with some _really_ old clothing that probably had belong to... a cousin or something. He set them down on a stool. "Come on, slowpoke, get in. Unless you want me to bodily dump you in..."

Ed pouted cutely, doing as told nonetheless. "You're not coming in too?" He continued the cute look.

Havoc lifted his eyebrows. "No." He tossed a washcloth at Ed. "You and I both know what would happen if I did that, and right now, that's pretty low on my list of priorities – I need to get you back up and functional, first."

"I'm perfectly _fine_!" Ed flung water in Havoc's general direction once more, still pouting.

"No, you are _not_," Havoc said with asperity, watching the water sail past. "You're running on a boost of energy and adrenaline. Sit down and be good."

"Are fucking too!" Ed threw more water at Havoc, mostly his at his face. After that, though, he seemed to quiet down, simply sitting cross-legged with his back to the rest of the bathroom. He was, of course, still pouting, though to look close enough would reveal that he was blushing as well.

Havoc groaned, his once clean, warm, _dry_ shirt sticking inconvieniently to his body. "Goddamn little gopher," he muttered, half affectionate, half annoyed.

Ed pointedly shoved his head underwater, getting his hair wet, then came back up, dripping. "I still say I'm perfectly fine." At least now his sopping bangs mostly hid his face, blush included.

"I don't think you are," Havoc retorted, eyeing Ed suspiciously. "Let me amend my previous statement to 'you're running on adrenaline and hormones.'"

Spinning around (and thusly slinging water from his hair all over the bathroom), Ed sent a full on glare (blush included) directly at Havoc. "Shut UP!"

He spread his hands non-threateningly. "Just saying, kiddo. No need to get fiesty at me." He looked down at his now-plastered and translucent shirt. "You're washing this, gopher-boy."

Ed just continued to glare (and blush furiously), in silence, both hands covering his lap.

Havoc grinned impishly at him. "Don't glare at me like that. It's not my fault."

Edward's left eye twitched slightly. His vision was a bit blurred due to the water that gathered in his eyes. It was just bathwater, not tears. Or so he would claim if asked about it.

Noticing the twitch, Havoc frowned, concerned. He reached over. "Something in your eye?"

The smaller blond turned his head to the side, swatting lightly at the hand that reached for him. "Nothing, I'm _fine!_" He would deny any and all crack in his voice, too.

"All right, all right." Havoc got up. "I'll let you alone now."

Ed blinked, looking up at Havoc with a slightly hurt look on his face. "You're leaving?"

Havoc winced at the look and the tone. "Well, not if you don't want me to..." Dear god, that sounded painfully lame to his own ears...

"You're all wet..." Ed pointed out the obvious. "Besides... you said you'd wash my back..." He was still hopeful for more than a back-washing, though.

Havoc put his hands on his hips. "I'm not going to wash your back if you keep sulking and pouting at me."

Once again, rather than a pout, Ed presented a glare.

Havoc threw a washcloth neatly at his face. "You're sulking. Wash your own back."

"I am _not_ sulking! You're just pissing me off!" Man, if they had a lie detector in here, Ed...

"Oh, _really_." Havoc developed an eyetwitch of his own. "Please bear in mind that I am neither stupid nor new to this. I've known you for quite some time now, Edward, and you are most definately _sulking_."

"Shut up..." Ed drew his knees to his chest, trying his damnedest not to cry. It wasn't working. He was _frustrated_, dammit!

Havoc's eyes flicked briefly heavenward. "Ed, just calm down and _relax_. This isn't helping you one bit."

"You're not helping either you know..." Ed didn't bother holding back tears anymore. "What with all that 'take it easy' bullshit..."

Havoc knelt, gently but firmly holding Ed's shoulders. "Yes, take it easy. After what you've been through..." He paused. "I'm worried sick about you. I don't know what could happen to you right now, because not even the other three alchemy geniuses know what's going on. You're sick, you're tired, you're hungry. You're not even close to your normal level of functioning before this mess started."

"None of that makes any difference to me right now though..." Ed tried to shrink away from Havoc's touch, but it wasn't working.

Havoc sighed. "And they wondered why I was so glad to get away from Central."

"What's Central got to do with any of it!" Ed turned his head, glaring rather half-assedly.

"Never mind." Havoc ran his fingers affectionately through Ed's hair. "I'll make a deal with you. If you calm down and let me take care of you, then I'll be your personal toy for the night, okay?"

Ed flushed crimson at that, wriggling uncomfortably. "I'll be good... just don't say anything else like that until you're through, dammit!"

"Right, right. Sorry." Havoc carefully smoothed the evil grin from his face, calmly soaping up a washcloth. He took Ed's flesh arm in hand and begain to run the cloth over his skin. "What do you want for breakfast tomorrow morning?"

Relaxing minimally, Ed shrugged his automail shoulder. "What do you have?"

"Not much. That's the problem. I've been living off Xingian takeout ever since I got out of the hospital. I don't particularly want to leave either of you alone right now, so going out to get something could be tricky. My charwoman or landlady may be willing to help me out." He ran the cloth over Ed's ribs, tickling gently. "So it's pretty much up to you. I do have to ask that some meat be involved, though."

Ed held back laughter. "Quit it! Hey! I don't care what's for breakfast as long as it's not m-m-m..." He blanched a rather unsightly shade.

Tugging gently to turn Ed around, Havoc snorted. "That's one hell of an anti-obession there," he remarked. "Don't worry, I can't have the stuff in the house anymore. I'm lactose intolerant now, remember?"

Edward blinked. "But I thought cats liked that stuff..."

"Kittens love it – it's all they can eat before their meat-teeth come in. Older cats – especially the big hunters, like myself – can't drink it anymore. I'm not sure why, it just is." Havoc poked around Ed's back for a bit. "Lord almighty, you're hard as a rock."

"Oh..." Ed twitched at the poking, then blushed again. "What the hell is that supposed to mean anyway!"

Havoc poked at Ed's human shoulder. "It means you're tense." He gently began to knead hard muscles. "Have you ever just stopped running?"

"Huh?" Ed blinked, not quite understanding what Havoc meant by that.

"Never mind." Havoc moved lower. "Does this tickle?"

Jerking slightly, Ed winced. "No, it hurts.."

Havoc gave a growly sigh. "That's even worse. Come on, Ed. Up and out. I'm going to do some serious work on your back."

Sighing, Ed did as instructed, he was going to be good and do what Havoc said until he got what he wanted anyway. The man had promised, dammit.

Havoc threw a towel at Ed and went into his bedroom. A few minutes later, a yelp and hiss let the world know that he had run afoul of his closet again.

Towel around his waist and still dripping, Ed wandered after Havoc, staring at the mess that had been created. "Are you... okay?"

Flat on his ass, Havoc threw Ed a Look. "Does it – OW!" A heavy-looking leather collar decided to bop him one on the top of his head. He winced, glaring at the collar and chucked it into his closet. "Stupid sodding bastards. On the bed. Now."

Ed eyed the collar suspiciously, thoughtfully, and then proceeded to sprawl out comfortably on his stomach. "What's something like that doing in your closet anyway, Jean?"

Havoc extracted himself from the mess of books and extra bedding. "The guys from my new unit thought it would be cute and amusing to give me a collar along with some documents I requested. I yelled at them for about three hours straight, then threw the damn thing in my closet." He glared at the gaping mess in question. "I was sort-of hoping that I'd forget about it and that the closet would eat it."

Ed blinked, dismissing the thought. "Remember what I said before about a collar?"

"M'mm... what? That you'll stick me in a collar if I comment on being old one more time?" The taller blond slid onto the bed, easily straddling the youth. "But... that was a while ago, wasn't it?"

Swallowing hard, Ed brought up his arms to use them as a pillow, staring at the headboard. "Well... it wasn't that long ago... just a few weeks..."

Havoc ruthlessly pressed down onto knotted muscle. Conversationally, he remarked, "Well, for a man who can't even remember if he had breakfast, it's a while."

"You've got the-OW-memory span of a-CAREFULWITHTHAT-butterfly, you know that?" Ed squirmed a bit, wanting halfway to get away from the pain, but halfway knowing that yes, it did feel pretty nice.

"And the brain capacity of a mosquito's elbow," Havoc said cheerfully, slowly working his way down Ed's back. Every time he found a knot, he showed no mercy.

Clenching his fists, Edward forced himself to stay still, but goddamn it hurt! The only plus to this (aside from the fact that it was Havoc, and Ed was only wearing a towel), was the fact that it felt better once Jean was done.

"H'm. You have a really nasty knot right about here –" Havoc proceeded to prod and pummel the point "– that's going to take a bit of work. Ready to wave the white flag yet?"

Ed whined, squirming slightly at that one. "Are you _done_ yet!"

"No."

"Almost?"

"Define 'almost.'" A nasty-sounding crack reverberated through the small room.

"I told you to take it easy with that! You tryin' to kill me or something!" Ed made an attempt at rolling over, failing of course due to Havoc pinning him down.

Havoc leaned over. "If you pay attention," he said gently. "You'll find out that you feel a lot better."

Blinking, Edward simply buried his face back in his arms, flushed and grumbling.

"And," the bigger man continued, fingers rubbbing the back of Ed's neck, "you'll probably find out that you don't have a headache anymore."

Ed blinked again. "Since when did I have a headache?" He was rather confused.

Havoc smiled. "Then I haven't finished yet."

Now that was just utterly confusing. "What... in the hell are you talking about!"

Havoc's fingers began to massage the nape of Ed's neck. "When you're tense, the blood vessels up to your brain constrict. That starts a chain reaction that gives you a mild headache. You never really notice until you're completely relaxed."

"I'm _never_ completely relaxed... you should know that by now..." Ed mumbled into his arms.

"Says who?" Havoc dropped a brief kiss on the back of Ed's neck. "You do know that you can make yourself seriously sick like that, right?"

"I don't have the time to be completely relaxed, I always have to be ready in case somebody's after my life again..."

Havoc smiled sadly.

"So are you finished yet?" Ed yawned briefly, trying to sneak a glance over his shoulder at Havoc.

"If you want me to be, yes."

Golden eyes blinked again. "I didn't mean it like that..."

"Neither did I." Havoc began to gently rub Ed's back. "Are you feeling better, though?"

Ed was still a bit confused with Havoc's words. "Well... yeah..." He did feel quite a bit better, actually.

"Good." Havoc flopped over onto his back, stretching painfully until his spine popped.

Ed turned his head, looking at Havoc from the cradle of his arms. "That sounds like it's got to hurt.."

"I'm just stressed. I'll get over it by tomorrow with a few mugs of coffee to help me along."

"You should get some sleep then..." Ed felt rather content to lay right where he was for the time being.

"Can't. Not yet, at any rate. I need to look at some papers." He got up, limping a little over to the door. "Photostats aren't allowed to be made of medical records and I'm technically not supposed to have them... 'specially since your and my files are classified."

Ed sat up, blinking. "Photostats?" Once again, Havoc was utterly confusing the shit out of him.

Havoc stared at him. "Where the hell have you _been_ for the past fifteen years? Photostat copying."

"..." Ed stared blankly. Resting his hands in his towel-covered lap, he blinked at Havoc. "I've been a good boy like I said..." He frowned, half-glaring.

A smile found its way onto Havoc's face. "Fair's fair. You'll have to ask."

Ed's frown grew slightly more serious. "...Come here then.."

Havoc obeyed silently, standing easily next to the boy.

Patting the bed next to him, Ed continued frowning. He must've been thinking. "Lay down then."

Still mute, Havoc eased himself onto the bed. He looked at Ed, eyebrows up.

A bit annoyedly, Ed shoved Havoc over onto his side, curling up behind him. "Now get some sleep. No arguing, you promised."

Havoc grinned to himself, closing his eyes. _Not a bad day. Not a bad day at all..._

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	35. Right and Wrong

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Right and Wrong

* * *

Rating:** R (Language, smut...yay..)  
**Pairings:** Do I need to keep saying this over and over?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA. Don't sue meeeee!  
**Spoilers:** Hell if I know anymore :D  
**Setting:** Anderm Hotel, Central City.  
**Timeline:** Day after the previous section.

* * *

Lisa's foot tapped impatiently. "_No_, Jean, I don't care if you've only had four and a half cups of coffee... you need to cut back, anway... don't dare argue with me, you stupid cat – no! I want the three of you over here in forty-five minutes, or so help me, I'll disconnect Ed and throw his bits in the dustbin!" 

There was a bit of screaming on the other end of the line, not quite loud enough to be understood, but loud enough to be heard. Apparently, Ed was just as impatient at the moment.

Lisa's eye twitched. "There. So shut up and get over here, but don't break any laws doing it." She hung up to the sound of Havoc yelling at Ed to shut the hell up.

Dull grey eyes stared blankly at the coffee table, then glanced over towards the woman still standing near the phone, then to the scratched and roughed up silver pocketwatch on the side table. "He is coming..."

"And you wouldn't be able to stop him with explosives," Izumi commented from the adjoining women's room. She tied her hair back neatly. "I'm not sure if..."

"It's too late now," Lisa said tartly. "The only thing we can do is wait and watch."

"How long has it been..." Dull grey continued to stare down at the similarly dulled watch. It seemed to have stopped ticking a while ago. Perhaps it was when Edward had been brought back. It really didn't matter to Alphonse.

Both women ignored im, though Izumi did spare him a sad glance. They were too busy planning escape routes in case a little time bomb named Edward decided to go off.

There was a rather loud knock on the door, followed by a yelp and muffled cursing. Alphonse looked up slowly. "I think..."

Lisa winced at a smothered 'Goddamn gopher' and a giggle that sounded suspiciously like Mustang that drifted through the door. "Al, please stand up and be polite. It's not nice to be rude to your elder brother."

"Do I really have to..." came the slightly deadpan reply.

The two women chorused a definate 'YES' and Lisa prodded him till he stood up.

There was more incessant banging at the door, and a voice that was obviously Edward's screaming. "ARE YOU SURE THIS IS THE RIGHT ROOM?"

Lisa winced. "The door's open, moron!" she yelled.

A split second later, Ed came tumbling through the door, falling flat on his face. _Thank you Jean, you didn't have to do that._ "What the HELL was that for! You just wanted to watch me fall on my face didn't you!"

Poking his head through the door, Havoc grinned, semi-smug. "Yes that was a perk. Hope you had a nice trip."

Ed just glared up at him. "Shut up... just shut up... And THIS is what I get for letting you just SLEEP last night!"

From across the room, Alphonse just gazed in what anyone else would see as a bored manner.

"I'm not going to bump my head in the dust to you, that's for damn sure," Havoc retorted.

All Havoc got in response was a blank, confused golden stare.

Havoc rolled his eyes. "Go say hello to your brother."

Ed blinked, sitting up and looking around. He'd been wondering distantly just why he hadn't been tackled yet, when golden eyes finally looked past Lisa and Izumi to the boy standing behind them. It had only been a month or a little more since Al had disappeared, but he looked so much different, the older Elric could only stare.

Lisa cleared her throat, tugging Alphonse forward. "Ed, say hello to your brother."

Edward scrambled to his feet, taking a few steps towards Al. The heavy atmosphere in the room was almost making it hard to breathe. The more he looked at Al, the more Ed found entirely _wrong_ with this picture. "H-hey... Al... what's up with this gloomy shit, huh?"

Alphonse just continued to look, without really caring. "Edward... how long..." he looked somewhat angrily over at Izumi. "Do I really have to do this..."

Izumi sighed while both Lisa and Havoc managed to sidle out to the connected room. "Yes, Al. You do. You both deserve and need to know about the other."

"I don't care..." Al proceeded to return to the couch to stare at the watch on the table, simply tired of the way Edward just fucking stared. For some reason, sympathy had begun to piss him off.

Having managed to recover finally from being knocked on his ass for laughing earlier, Roy wasn't sure he really wanted to be there. Seeing Alphonse like that sent a chill down his spine. He could only imagine what it was doing to Ed.

Safely in the other room, Havoc hissed at the other chimera, "What the hell happened to the kid, Lisa? He's... not right at all!"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Equivalent exchange."

Ed looked from Al to Izumi, trying to hide confusion and hurt with skepticism. "Oh, come on, Al, you've always sucked at acting, you're not fooling me at all, quit with the joke already..." Golden eyes focused on Izumi. "This is a joke right? You're just trying to freak me out..."

Roy put a hand on Ed's shoulder, forcing himself not to just run away again. He _really_ wanted to just go in the other room like Havoc and Lisa did, though.

"Ed, this isn't a joke," Izumi said gently. "Your brother isn't acting."

"Acting is a waste of effort..." Al said, deadpan as ever, and still staring at the table.

Edward shook his head. "No, that can't be true... Then that's not my brother, Al isn't like that!"

Roy's grip tightened slightly.

Flat-eyed and tightlipped, Havoc returned to the main room. "If anyone needs me, I'm going to be blowing off a lot of steam." He left.

Lisa followed him in. "Ed, I don't particularly think that that's Al. At least, not the Al you knew."

Violet flickered across gold. "What are you talking about... what's going on here! What the hell happened to my little brother!"

Roy silently cursed Jean for leaving him to deal with this himself. Sure, he had Lisa and Izumi, and sure, they were both quite certainly very strong women, but _he_ was the emotional support, and the only person who could stop Ed if he were to change again was definitely Havoc.

"Bluntly put, Ed, _you_ did."

"You people are so noisy..." Alphonse had taken to staring at his hands.

Ed stood frozen, staring straight ahead and slightly downwards. It was true... if Al hadn't brought him back... He should have known the rebound might not have been instantaneous... So then... "_I_... did this... this is... my fault?" He swayed gently on his feet, vision painfully clear even though he didn't want it to be, every little sound was so loud, and Al's voice stung like salt on a fresh open wound to his heart. He swayed a little more when the room started to spin.

Roy shook his head, resting his chin on Ed's shoulder and getting a grip around the boy's waist. There was nothing he could even think to say, not that saying anything would matter right now.

"It's three or four people's fault. His, for insisting that he do it, even though I told him not to. Mine, for letting him. Yours, for forcing him to bring you back." Lisa's voice was flat and non-commital.

"I didn't force anything... I never forced him to do _anything_... You... you _taught_ him, didn't you!" Violet-streaked golden eyes flitted up to Lisa, colors sporadic. "I never made him do anything!"

Roy did his best to keep Ed from lunging. But if the boy changed again... He would really rather not have another dose of broken ribs...

"Mustang, please let Ed go and go find Jean," Lisa said, voice still quiet. "He's sulking around this floor somewhere. I'm afraid we may need the man soon if Ed continues to be bullheaded." She let her gaze rest squarely on Ed. "No, I did not _teach_ him. I aided him, assisted him, and gave him books I had inherited from my uncle and Dante."

Izumi's voice was warning. "Lisa, be careful. You have no idea what's at stake."

Roy did as told, releasing Ed and swiftly leaving the room.

"That's the same goddamn thing!" Once free of Roy's grasp, Edward shoved Lisa aside roughly, sliding onto the couch over Al's lap and kissing him roughly, he didn't even care who saw it. His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke up, the tears finally falling. "I missed you for so long... why it had to be this way... it never was supposed to be this way... I'm sorry, Al..."

Ed's right hand slowly moved up, a bit jerkily, to Al's neck. "_I'm sorry... I can't... I couldn't..._" A smirk slowly curved the corners of his lips. "Well now... I never thought I'd get to see the younger one..."

Lisa growled and motioned to Izumi. Both of the formidable alchemy women grabbed Ed by the back of his shirt and hauled. A temporary measure, but one good enough for the moment.

"Dammit, Roy, hurry!" Lisa snarled, trying to keep her hold on the writhing homunculus.

Alphonse simply gazed blankly at Ed, and the two alchemy teachers. "Why don't you just let him go..."

Blasphemy purred, licking his lips. "Hello ladies... Come back to kick my ass again? It's not going to work that way this time... He doesn't want back out at all..."

Havoc's very tired, slightly ticked voice asked snappishly, "Will you just stop being such a nuisance?"

Blasphemy grinned more broadly, slightly sharp teeth barely showing. "I was taking a nice nap, and then the boy had the nerve to wake me up just so he could go and hide... I dare say that it's not my fault."

Roy clenched his jaw shut, memories of a few weeks past resurfacing at that slightly insane tone to Ed's voice. A shiver ran down his spine.

"You're more interesting than you were a moment ago..." Alphonse stood, standing well within arms reach of Blasphemy. Bored looking grey eyes looked the older boy up and down, then gazed absently into violet eyes. "You look different, as well..."

Roy had to quickly intervene before the pissed-off chimera could go for his gun. "I'm so sick of these perverse and twisted freaks of alchemy," Havoc hissed, venomously.

"It's not their fault, Jean, will you _please_ just _calm down!_" Roy held Havoc's wrists firmly.

Wrenching his arms out of the alchemists' hands, Blasphemy moved forward to close the gap between himself and Al. "You know..." he grinned as the younger Elric slid uncaring arms around his waist for support, "I've always wanted to see your reactions to how this boy really felt about his younger brother..."

Alphonse sighed slightly. "You talk too much..." Perhaps it was surprising that this time it was he who instigated the kiss, shifting on his feet only the slightest when the Homunculus's hands found his ass. He endured it calmly, detachedly, even as Blasphemy's tongue probed his mouth and a leg moved between his thighs. Despite not caring in the least, Al was somewhat enjoying himself.

Havoc snarled as the two women averted their eyes. Still hissing, he spat, "Dammit Mustang, _let me go_!"

"If you promise not to _kill_ either one of them, maybe I will, but the way you're acting now I'm not so sure!"

Blasphemy continued, slowly backing Al onto the couch. Breaking the kiss when Al stumbled, he watched with amusement when he saw the slightest hint of primal instinct spark in the Elric's eyes. If none of them were going to stop it, he might as well have as much fun as he wanted, then. "It seems that this one's still got a little spark in him..."

Grey eyes not so dull anymore stared up at violet. Despite having the motivation of a sloth previously, something stirred inside of him. Something that, in his completely bland nature, Al didn't quite understand. The thing he did understand though, was that there was something he _wanted_. And he _wanted_ that something _now_. Grabbing Blasphemy by the shirt, he pulled the homunculus down into a volley of swift, hungry kisses.

Havoc abruptly sagged, dragging Roy down with him. "Stupid fucking moron," he snarled, too angry to figure out if he was yelling at Ed or Blasphemy. "Always thinking about yourself!"

Roy loosened his grip as his head rested against Havoc's back, unable to watch anymore. "Dammit, Ed... if you're still in there... Please, just come back, that's enough already..."

Blasphemy didn't quite catch what Roy had said, considering Al had somehow managed to get a hand down his pants. The homunculus was seriously cursing the damn shrimp for being so sensitive right now. A strangled moan made its way out, and his train of thought utterly died. Somewhere in the back of his head, he realized that perhaps this time he had gotten a bit in over his head.

Havoc watched everything, eyes blank. The close proximity of the homunculus and the... thing that used to be Al made him sick to his stomach.

"You're pathetic," made it out of his mouth before he even realized it.

Roy slowly lifted his head again, the sight before him seeming slowed and blurry. It hurt somewhere inside, and at the same time it angered him. "Why isn't anyone _doing_ anything! Why doesn't somebody _do_ something about it!" Sure, he was speaking for himself as well, but he wouldn't have thought that not one of them could manage it. And it pissed him off that he was so rooted to where he knelt. But he knew that if somebody didn't do something soon, this would go beyond the point where any of them would care to see.

Hearing Roy's desperate mumble, Havoc surged up, 185 pounds of pure, angry carnivore. He grabbed the back of Ed's shirt, tossing him across the room like a rag doll. He drew his gun easily and aimed it at Ed. "I advise you to stay put, you little shit." The click of the safety catch echoed around a dead-silent room.

Breathing slightly heavily and refocusing his eyes, Blasphemy gazed up at Havoc and the barrel of his gun. He smirked, running his fingers through his bangs. "You look even sexier than usual today, and that gun just makes it better..."

Roy gaped. He hadn't really meant for _this_ to happen... "Jean... don't you think that's a bit too far...?"

In the meantime, Alphonse rose from the couch, intent on finishing what he'd started.

Havoc growled. "I'm not in the mood for your crap right now," he snapped, eyes moving quickly from one person to the next. "Roy, shut up. Al, stay put, or so help me, I'll get out my other gun. And you –" his eyes narrowed. "You have _no_ idea how much I want to kill you right now."

"You'd kill him too, if you killed me... you really want that?" Blasphemy was amused at Havoc's rage.

"Dammit Jean put that thing away! There are better ways to deal with this than KILLING PEOPLE! Especially someone you... DAMMIT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SHOOT HIM!" Despite years of practiced composure, Roy was losing it.

"I need _more_... if I can't have that I don't care if you shoot me." Alphonse pushed past Havoc.

Havoc neatly kicked Al's feet out from under him, laying the boy out flat. "Screw you, old man," he snapped back at Roy, not in the mood for games. "I don't see you trying to help!"

"You know damn well I can't bring him back..." Roy clenched his fists, even as Blasphemy laughed, "There never was anything I could do..."

As the laughter stopped, Blasphemy trained violet eyes on Roy. "Are you sure that's really the case, Mustang?" He slowly slid one hand up his thigh. "Or is it because you're still afraid of me..."

Alphonse was stubbornly attempting to crawl towards the homunculus, that little gesture making him all the more eager to get there.

Havoc stepped calmly on Al's back. "Stay put." The anger had evolved into an icy calm that was infinitely more frightening. "Roy, move it. You and I both know you're worthless like this, so get out."

"Dammit, Jean... Get off Al's back, I'll hold him, okay!" Roy really was not fond of being useless.

Blasphemy, in the meantime, got to his feet again, stepping towards Havoc.

"Take him and get the hell out," Havoc snarled. "Don't make me pull rank on you." He kept one green-gilt eye on Ed the entire time, wary of the approaching youth.

Despite the painful reminder, Roy nodded, somehow managing to drag the struggling boy out of the room. "Bring him back, Jean... just don't _kill him_ in the process..."

"What's the matter, _Jean_, aren't you going to shoot me? I moved..." Blasphemy purred, taking another step.

"I think you already know the answer to that." He holstered his gun and crossed his arms. "So why are you even bothering to ask." It was a dangerous game he was playing, but he didn't care anymore.

Blasphemy grinned smugly. "It's funny, you threaten even though you know damn well you'd never be able to pull that trigger on me..." Passing Havoc, he stole the gun from its holster, spinning it on his finger and pointing it at his own chin. "If I were to do it myself, you would even risk everything to stop me, wouldn't you?"

"You know the answer to that, too."

"Does this gun even have any bullets in it?" Blasphemy then aimed the gun at Havoc's forehead.

Havoc grinned lopsidedly. "Would you care if there were?"

"Shall I test it on you then?" Blasphemy put pressure on the trigger, still aimed at Havoc.

Havoc shrugged. "Might be interesting to die again."

"There wouldn't be anyone here to save you this time..." Blasphemy circled Havoc once, then threw the gun across the room. "You're not making any move to get him back..."

"Good point. But quite honestly, I have no idea what's going on between you two. One thing works, then something else does..." Havoc eyed Blasphemy. "You're not really that much of a danger, as long as I can keep my eye on you."

The shorter blond moved up against Havoc, hands wandering down his back and ass. "You know... I wonder if he'd stay down long enough to let me take you for a test ride..." A wicked grin spread across Blasphemy's face, and he licked his lips. "The younger brother _did_ get me a bit worked up after all..."

Havoc's knee kicked up, nailing Blasphemy in the groin. A few twists later, he had the panting homunculus flat on his stomach with his automail arm twisted over his back. Havoc himself was comfortably straddling the smaller's hips. "That's not exactly how you propose a one-night stand," Havoc murmured into the squirming figure's ear. "It may work with repressed and soulless teenagers, but for a grown man, you need a little more subtlety."

It sounded ridiculous, but hey. Maybe sex would work this time around.

Blasphemy just grinned, trying in vain to look over his shoulder as he caught his breath. "So is that a yes, a no, or an offer?"

Roy was very much going to kill him if he ever found out. Oh, well. Havoc cautiously released Blasphemy's arm, sitting back to allow the thing to turn over and sit up. "Try again, squirt."

Violet eyes scanned Havoc again. "If you're looking for a subtle come on, you're not getting one out of me..." Blasphemy leaned forward on hands and knees, looking for the most opportune moment to pounce.

Havoc got up, brushing off his pants. "Are you really that impatient?"

Following suit, Blasphemy stood as well. "Why does it even matter if I am or not?"

"I'm just being friendly." Havoc cocked his head. "I thought you would have gotten on with things by now. What's holding you back? A sense of morality or something?"

"Oh, I'm just enjoying the moment.." Blasphemy grinned again, though something _did_ strike him as just _not right_ about all this. "I'm not one to have moral obligations, you should know that by now..."

Havoc moved smoothly around the oddly hesitating homunculus. "Really? Could've fooled me." His fingers gently combed through Blasphemy's ponytail. "So. We have a sadistic freak of alchemy and a half-wild freak of alchemy. What'll it be this time?"

"I already told you what I want..." Blasphemy nearly purred. "It's your choice whether you appease me, or I have to force myself on you... either way it doesn't make much difference to me..." Violet eyes followed Havoc's movements.

Havoc tugged Blasphemy around. "I think, for the health of all concerned, that I should just go with it," he mused aloud. "But, Mustang, Ed, _and_ Bradley would all kill me if they found out." He bent his head, lightly brushing his lips across the homunculus'. "However, you won't go easy on me like they will."

"Indeed I won't..." Blasphemy murmured, hands caressing down Havoc's back. "You'd better not half-ass anything, now... I want you to treat me no differently than you'd treat him..."

"What? So you can see what you're missing?" Havoc fastened his teeth on Blasphemy's neck.

The homunculus hissed slightly, tilting his head. "Not exactly..." Blasphemy tugged up the back of Havoc's shirt, sliding one hand down his spine as the other gripped the man's ass. "I just want it to be the best that it can be..."

"Greedy little prick," the chimera commented, almost offhandedly, licking the mark. He flinched at the hand on his spine. "Any preferences?" he asked before sinking his teeth into the flesh shoulder.

"Aahnnotreally..." Blasphemy hissed out in one breath, his entire body tensing shortly. It felt too human for his liking, really, this pain did. All of it really, but the pain most of all. "Aside from picking up the pace a bit..."

"You're impatient." Havoc deftly undid the buttons to the white dress shirt on the youth, letting his fingers slide down bare skin. "Is that a personality quirk, or something you inherited from Ed?"

Blasphemy's train of thought died momentarily, a shudder rippling through his entire body. Gritting his teeth, he forced a smirk onto his lips. "I can't take my chances with time.."

Havoc knelt, looking up. "I'm surprised that you're even taking a chance." His slightly rough tongue licked briefly against the muscles of his stomach. "Then again, maybe not..."

Blasphemy hummed slightly, violet eyes watching Havoc. "I hope you don't think that I'm going to just settle for you sitting down there the whole time..."

"You can stop me at any time," Havoc reminded the other, easily unfastening Blasphemy's belt. "You can always tell me what to do, too."

"Don't you ever get tired of sucking cock?" Blasphemy snorted, getting a good handful of Havoc's hair and forcing his head back. Leaning down, violet eyes narrowed. "I've changed my mind... I want you to kiss me, touch me like you would him, but fuck me like the _animal_ you are..."

"I'm not an animal," Havoc said, voice hard. He yanked Blasphemy's head down, kissing fiercely and tasting blood. "Take it back."

Licking his lips, Blasphemy slid down into Havoc's lap. "I'll take it back if you prove me wrong... which so far you haven't..."

Havoc's eyes narrowed. "Bastard." He realized rather abruptly that this had been a Very Bad Idea Indeed. But... _damn_. His hands crept around, gently stroking and caressing Blasphemy.

Shivering again, Blasphemy shifted his position a bit, scooting closer in Havoc's lap and wriggling slightly. "Kiss me again and prove me wrong.."

Considering that he had no real other option, Havoc's tongue flicked out, licking away blood. He followed a scant few seconds later, kissing him deeply.

_Always taking advantage of my weaknesses, aren't you..._

Blasphemy pulled back suddenly, gasping as a glimmer of gold swiftly retreating from wide open eyes. Surprised and winded, he slumped against Havoc for support. This was different than before, was it the node, or was it the circumstances? He wasn't sure, but he did know that it nearly threw him over the edge, despite not even being close to it at all.

Havoc gave a low, purring chuckle. "Too much for you already?" he growled playfully, licking various sensitive spots on Blasphemy's upper body – most notably, the scars around his port and the three major pulse points on his neck and throat.

"I'm perfectly fine..." the homunculus replied, though the waver in his voice was obvious. _Stay down kid, you gave the floor up on your own, you're not taking it back until I'm through!_ A violent shudder ripped through his body, and semi-sharp teeth sank into Havoc's shoulder. _It's my body, I'll take it back whenever the hell I want!_ Hips ground against the chimera's at the sudden rush of sensation. "Stop toying around already you damn cat!"

Havoc peeled the homunculus off. "I'll do things _my_ way." He pushed Blasphemy back, slipping a knee between his legs. "So shut the hell up."

Blasphemy's eyes went wide again, then closed tightly as a groan escaped him, almost sounding as if it were more than one voice. "_Please...Jean.._" Teeth gritted, violet reasserted itself. The homunculus was really starting to think that he'd gotten in over his head, trying to choke back a moan that rose along with this new ecstasy accompanying the return of control in this body. Much more of this little tug-of-war and he'd be too far gone to stay.

Havoc cocked his head, hands drifting lazily down. "I'm assuming I'm doing something right," he murmured before kissing the youth again.

Blasphemy tried to resist, tried to push away, but the strength he usually had in this body was wavering to nearly nothing. _You don't deserve to have him this way.._ Tension slowly melted away, until the boy was nearly limp in Havoc's arms. Moments later came the tears when the kiss was finally returned, arms tightly encircling Havoc's waist.

Havoc smiled in relief. "Welcome back, kiddo," he whispered.

"I'm sorry..." Ed whispered, crying silent tears and getting Havoc's shoulder damp. "I'm so sorry.."

"Shh. Don't worry about it for now." Havoc sat back, pulling the distraught kid onto his lap and gently stroking his hair. "It's all right..."

Curling his legs around Havoc's waist, and his arms around his neck, Ed buried his face against Havoc's shoulder. "Thank you..." He squeezed gently. "Sorry..."

"I told you, don't worry about it." He pressed a brief kiss against the side of Ed's head. "Are you feeling up to going home?"

"I need a cold shower first..." Ed groaned, as if his presence in Havoc's lap wasn't enough for the man to know that already.

"Then off with you. I'll wait in here; I'm not feeling brave enough to face Mustang alone in the mood that he's probably in." Havoc gave Ed a slight push.

"I was being sarcastic..." Ed stated, deadpan. "I think I can manage to make it home without molesting you, thanks."

Havoc grinned and tickled Ed. "Come on, then. Let's get yelled at by Mustang and then go home and have a nice, long nap."

Squirming away from Havoc, Ed got to his feet. "Alright, let's go then, before I end up making myself a liar and actually molesting you. I'll try and save that for later." With a genuine grin, he helped Havoc up, an amazing feat in itself, and, after reattaching his belt and buttoning his shirt, dragged the older man out the door.

* * *

Roy wasn't so sure why he'd gone so far, outside the hotel, down the street, around a corner, left, right, backwards, lather, rinse, repeat. Before long he found himself face to face with a place he really hadn't wanted to be at _all_. The very place he'd left just yesterday, and what's worse, there was someone coming out of the building towards him. No, not just someone, but _two_ very _ominous_ looking someones. 

"Look what we have here... I never would have thought he'd actually come _back_, look at all the trouble he saved us!" The green-haired homunculus grinned wickedly, slightly sharp teeth glinting.

The taller, voluptuous woman merely regarded the approaching man coolly. If she was surprised to see him, she hid it well, and she ignored her partner. "I see you've brought that person's son with you." She finally said, her voice perfectly neutral. Lust was, in fact, somewhat surprised that they hadn't had to look for either the Flame nor the formerly missing Miracle alchemists. She had expected them to leave the facility and go deep into hiding.

Dark eyes scanned the immediate vicinity for a possible escape route. Finding none, Roy instinctively clutched Al closer. It would be hard to run in any case, dragging a fourteen year old boy along with him. "You've done enough harm in the case of the Elric brothers, I take it you're with the Fuhrer?" Despite every muscle in his body twitching to run, he knew there was no way he could possibly get away from them. He only hoped that talking would appease them, though instinct told him it was a hopeless endeavor.

Alphonse stared blankly at the two, vaguely remembering them from somewhere, or maybe it wasn't vague, just that he didn't care. His confinement within Mustang's arms was starting to get a bit on the irritating side, after all, the man had taken him away from his brother, and it was Edward that Al wanted right now. "Let me go... I want to go back to Ed..."

Envy sneered, and Roy couldn't help but feel that he'd seen that look before. In the next instant, it was Edward's form that stood there, and Roy remembered just where he'd met this one before. "Envy..." Roy felt like he was going to be sick.

Dull grey eyes lit up again, and once more Al struggled as he had when Roy had dragged him out of the hotel room. _That_ was what he wanted, even though his mind knew it wasn't really Edward, his body didn't care.

Lust stepped forward, reaching her hand out to the two. She didn't know why Alphonse seemed so eager to abandon Roy and go to them, but it would merely make their job easier. "We are no longer interested in you, however, that boy with you must come with us." She purred, stepping past Envy. "Of course, you don't intend to make this easy though, do you? Not up to running away with your tail between your legs?"

Doing his best to hold Al, Roy swallowed hard. _Damn you Mustang, damn your pride._ Something about that woman was more alluring than it should be, though. Like some sweet poison he couldn't draw his eyes off of. His mind screamed at him to run, _now_, but his legs wouldn't obey.

Envy eyed the blond boy curiously, it was nearly impossible to ignore the air of raw _want_ that child was giving out. His lips curled up in a smirk. "Al, let's go! Don't let that bastard keep you from me, he just wants to separate us!"

"Alphonse, that's not your brother, don't listen to him." Despite his attempt to keep a grip on the boy, Roy found his hand slipping, and it wasn't long before Al was free from his grasp. He cursed himself mentally as the boy ran straight into Envy's arms, forced his hands to move, had to get on his gloves, there were too many people who would _kill_ him if he lost the younger Elric now.

Lust was slightly confused by the boy's response. He'd seen Envy change into his brother, and didn't seem to care. It didn't really take a genius to tell that the lights were on, but no one was home. She frowned, what good was a trump card that didn't think and couldn't do anything besides what instinct told it? He was no better than Gluttony.

She stepped in front of Envy, amusement dancing in her eyes as Mustang, who seemed to be in a state of panic, fumbled around in his pockets. "Get out of here with him, now." She said, waiting patiently for the human to get his act together. She feared nothing from him, she figured he could kill her a few more times before she had anything to worry about.

Envy shrugged, dragging Al off as instructed. Dammit, he'd wanted to play with fire, too.

With Envy gone, Lust felt she had quite a bit more freedom in the situation to do whatever she pleased. As Roy tried to chase after the older homunculus and the mindless boy, she snapped her arm out, sharp nails grazing his far arm as she caught him. "It's pointless to go after them. He won't return to you anyway. That boy is no more."

Roy barely winced at the cuts, stopped in his tracks. "That's not the point!" Then again, what was the point in explaining anything to these people, if you could call them people. "What do you want with him anyway? He's no use for you, it's not like he can or will do alchemy for you, what good is he to you?" One glove on, Roy was ready for a counterstrike if need be.

"You could stand to ask yourself the same questions, _sir_." Lust murmured, stepping in front of him. She caressed his face, her fingers snaking up his arm to grasp his gloved hand, a deadly waltz stance. "Alphonse seems to no longer be himself. He doesn't even remember who we are. If he can't use alchemy, then your precious military can't use him as a weapon." She leaned closer, cold breath against his warm face.

_Fuck._ "He's still human, he's still Edward's brother, and he's still someone that people care about. I wouldn't expect the likes of you to understand such bonds." His one eye glared cold at the woman in his face, though he wasn't sure whether to be appalled or hypnotized by her voice. Something in the back of Roy's head made him wonder if this is what women felt when he was around them.

_Tearful red eyes, sobbing, vows to restore life.._

Lust moved back, feigning a pout. "You give me too little credit. Also.." she leaned in again, her lips brushing against his, the arm not restraining him snaking around his waist. "So the older one is still alive.. but is he really?"

Roy tried to shrink away, but to no avail. The prickling sensation of a blush spiked across his cheeks, at which he inwardly cursed. "If you want to know, why don't you ask Pride." He wasn't liking where this was going, and going all too quickly at that.

"Who do you think sent me here, to find out the status of both Elric brothers?" Lust purred, drifting her lips across his cheek to his ear. "And don't worry about Alphonse. He will be given the best treatment possible, be assured. Unless Envy gets bored, of course, though you're welcome to send distractions to him." She bit his earlobe lightly, drawing a hair-thin line of blood.

A light shiver ran down Roy's spine, once again causing him to curse himself for many different reasons, rather colorfully. "If he wants to know then he can ask himself, he doesn't need to send his _lackeys_ to do the job for him." He tried turning his head, but that didn't prove to be much more useful than his previous position. He tried pushing with his free hand, but that turned out much worse than his previous position. He mentally cursed large breasted women. This was _not_ his day, _really_. "And if you _monsters_ so much as scratch Alphonse Elric I'll make _sure_ Fawkes gets to you first!" That's smart, Roy. Making threats in this situation probably wasn't the best of ideas.

Lust raised an eyebrow, lips and tongue moving over the neck that he'd so generously exposed to her. "Do you really think you have _any_ control over the one you call Fawkes? Don't delude yourself. We know who took your eye." She grinned ferally, arching her back, her breast pushing into Roy's hand. "Well, someone certainly isn't trying to hide his desires.."

_...Fuckfuckfuckfuck... wait... shitshitshitshit._ Roy wormed his hand out from between his chest and hers, feeling more than just a bit flustered at this turn of events. "Why in the hell would I have any _manner_ of desire directed towards you, unless it was the desire to _kill you_!" The frantic note in his voice wasn't helping his case any, though.

Lust would've grinned more, had she the capacity to. Instead, she shoved him against a pillar, pressing him against it, still restraining his one gloved hand and reaching down to grab the front of his pants. "Your own body contradicts you, _sir_." She said, returning to the half-abuse, half-gentle assault on his neck with her mouth.

Cursing under his breath, Roy tried to resist, tried to struggle, though his resolve was rapidly dwindling. Unable to hold back a groan, he turned his head to the side, wishing more than anything that Jean would come walking around the streetcorner and help him. "That's got _nothing_ to do with you..."

Tossing her head just enough to move her hair aside, Lust set to unbuttoning his shirt with her teeth, grateful that he'd neglected to wear the uniform. She stopped at his statement, just long enough to lick his chest and look up, eyes narrowing deviously. "Never thought the great Roy Mustang would be a pedophile, really.. how interesting.. I wonder what others would say."

Roy gritted his teeth, not warranting that with a comment. His gaze was focused elsewhere, so that he didn't have to look at her, and he really hoped she would just shut up so he could at least pretend this wasn't happening. Okay so her shutting up probably wouldn't help him pretend a damn thing other than that she was Jean or something. And if Havoc knew he'd done that, he'd be dead for sure.

Lust was very angry, but wasn't showing it. Men weren't supposed to respond this way. The physical part was just fine, but he acted as though she was a carrier of the plague, typhoid, _and_ an Ishbalite all in one. This was the part that displeased her. Rape wasn't something she particularily enjoyed, no, she preferred when her prey became, despite all their mental constraints, entirely willing to do whatever she pleased. With this in mind, she bit Roy's neck harshly, ripping his belt off, deciding that if he felt she was something below human, well, he wasn't worth her sympathies.

Roy let out a strangled cry, making a rather violent attempt to wrest his arm from Lust's grip. Unwanted tears made their way from his eye, as he tried to think of what to do. "I'd sooner _die_ than have that mark eclipsed! Do what you want with me but if you've any heart at all don't you dare draw blood from me there.."

Lust pulled her face away, looking at Roy with an expression of mild hurt, anger, and general confusion. It seemed that, sometime during Edward being replaced with the new homunculus and Envy fucking with him, and having his eye shot out by the chimera, the Flame Alchemist had lost his mind. She leaned up into his face, narrowing her eyes. "What the Hell is your problem?"

Narrowing his one eye, Roy made a half-assed attempt to glare back at her. "There's only one person who's allowed to scar my neck like that, and you aren't that person."

A cruel, mocking smirk crept onto her face. "I hadn't pegged you for the faithful type. In fact, weren't you the one with multiple girls hanging off you at one point? The great womanizer? Now you're just a beaten dog, not even worth my time. You disgust me. You barely qualify as a man." She shoved him back, spitting in his face.

Roy took every blow in stride. "Is it so wrong for a man to find someone to love and be loyal to?" he replied, lifting his now free hand to trace the nearly healed wound on the side of his neck. "How does that make me any less of a man?"

Without so much as a thought, Lust moved her hand, a single claw piercing the eyepatch just barely, lifting it up from his face. She made a face, disgusted by the sight it revealed to her, and shook the eyepatch off onto the ground. "You sound like you're from a corny romance film." She finally remarked, smirking a bit before turning away. "I still find you disgusting. All humans are. You like to think you're so gallant and honorable, with your professions of eternal love and faithfulness, when all the while, you're just like the younger Elric is now, driven by hormones and instinct. Things will get interesting soon, but for now," she turned back to him, eyes as cold as they had been when they had first seen him, "treasure what little you have, you won't have it long, and then you'll know I'm right."

"Don't be so cocky.. You were human once too..." Roy picked up his belt and once again secured his pants, buttoning up his shirt. "Maybe, like Edward, you can be again.." With that, he walked off the way he came, heading back towards Havoc's apartment.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	36. Love and let Love

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Love and let Love

* * *

Rating:** R (Language, nearsmut...yay..)  
**Pairings:** Do I need to keep saying this over and over?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA. Don't sue meeeee!  
**Spoilers:** Hell if I know anymore :D  
**Setting:** Fuhrer's office, Havoc's apartment.  
**Timeline:** Day after the previous section.

* * *

Roy glanced over at Ed, then to Havoc on the opposite couch. That damn Bradley sure was taking his sweet time making them wait in this ungodly huge office. Just the size of this place made him uncomfortable. Sure, he was aiming for this to be _his_ office, but still. It reeked of Bradley, and he hated being here. 

Edward ran his fingers through his ponytail again, for the umpteenth time this afternoon. He couldn't quite remember the last time he was in here, even though it shouldn't have been that long ago. He assumed it was due to his prior instability. With a yawn, he watched Roy fidget for a moment, hearing a fly buzzing somewhere nearby. "What's taking him so long anyway? Inconsiderate je-_mmnff!_" he was cut off by Roy's hand covering his mouth, in response to which he just glared.

Bradley blew into the office, scaring the skirt off his secretary and making Mustang jump. It was a tiny twitch but it was there, and he savored it. He spared a brief nod and smile to the rather sulky-looking chimera, then seated himself behind his desk. "Thank you for coming, gentlemen."

Roy nodded, not really looking at Bradley. "If you want our help so badly, you should tell your friends to lay off.." He really wasn't in the mood for this, yesterday was just a genuine Bad Day.

Bradley steepled his fingers. "What happened yesterday was done entirely without my knowledge. Rest assured that I have taken... sufficient measures for punishment."

Edward grumbled to himself. Yesterday had been hell. What's more, Roy wouldn't say a word other than that '_they_ have Al' and that 'he'll be alright'. It sort of pissed him off.

"Not only that, but what happened to Havoc and to myself prior as well..." Roy responded, still not looking at the man, but to Jean instead.

The chimera blinked and frowned at Mustang. What had gotten him so... distant? Roy hadn't even eaten anything last night before locking himself in the bedroom and refusing to come out.

"I can't help it that my colleagues are complete and utter prats," Bradley said diplomatically.

Roy averted his gaze again, training it on the space between himself and Havoc. "That aside, let's get down to business then.."

Bradley noticed the somewhat strained interplay between the trio. Ah... then Mustang had apparantly let Lust's little... mugging get to him and had not told the other two. It would be interesting to see how it played out. "Of course. What is it that you know about these chimerae?"

"All I know is that the one named Fawkes is most likely the son of one of our previous alchemists. What we've gathered is that this alchemist, formerly known as Paul Delgardie, most likely created these seven abominations in a project funded by the military, known as Predator. Certainly you know all of this already, am I wrong?" Roy finally looked to Bradley, eye narrowed.

Ed huffed. "Just tell us what to do already, old man! The longer we wait, the more likely it is we're all going to be killed! Because of you people, Roy and I nearly _were_ killed!"

Bradley considered Mustang's information."Paul Delgardie? A relation to the rather charming little fox chimera Lisa?" Under the inane babble, though, his mind was working at top speed, trying to dredge up information about the Predator project. This just got more and more interesting.

"HEY! Are you even _listening_ to me! You damn b-_mmnf!_" Ed tried to bite Roy's hand this time, but failed, glaring once again.

Bradley smiled pleasantly as Havoc sank down into his seat, the chimera's cheeks faintly pink. "I am listening to you, Fullmetal."

Ignoring Ed's constant nipping, Roy kept his hand over the boy's mouth and continued. "Yes, her uncle to be precise. We know that the viper was put under my command for nearly three years, and that during that time she assassinated several people, including the late Colonel Stanson and the late Brigadier General Hughes.." Mustang hesitated, the ranks sounded foreign to his ears, felt heavy on his tongue.

"H'm. A fine alchemist, Lisa is. And talented too, though a little abusive if one is bothering a patient of hers –" At Ed's outraged squeal and Havoc's embarrassed coughing fit, Bradley pulled himself together. "The Predator project predates the Ishvar war, Mustang. I'm not quite sure who initiated it, but the funding has been made public through the budget reports." He smiled ruefully. "Well, only semi-public. It was tacked onto 'Medical Research.'"

"All records of Predator have conveniently disappeared, any research left behind when Delgardie fled was destroyed, along with the facilities. It's been covered up, it's just coincidence I happened to have known about it."

Roy ran the fingers of his free hand through his hair. "Other than that, there isn't much else to be known, other than that Fawkes is out to kill us all, and you're next on his list, apparently, as he told me before turning me into a cyclops." Strangely enough, there was a bit of bitter amusement in his voice.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with that," Bradley said mildly, tapping his own patch thoughtfully. "H'm. It would be no great loss to the world in general if I was destroyed, but I'm arrogant enough to want to be able to pick an opponent worthy enough of me and to be able to do things _my_ way." He leaned back. "How did you even manage to find out so much about Predator?"

"It's pieced together from death records, Fawkes' dropped information, and degrading newspaper clippings from the Central Archives, along with common sense and luck. I really don't know how we've managed, but I do believe that it's not so much we've managed to figure it out, moreso that we've be _allowed_ to figure it out." Confident that Edward would stay quiet now for a while, Roy removed his hand, wiping it on his pants. "Most of it is thanks to Hughes, though, and his ungodly habit of collecting information of any and all kinds."

"There was also some information at Lisa's place if you had taken your head out of the clouds long enough to look through it," Havoc said in a low voice, still slightly embarrassed.

Roy did his best to act nonplussed at that. "Either way.."

"Then apparently you know more than I do," Bradley commented. "Do you have any idea how to assault these maniacs?"

"We haven't the faintest clue." Roy admitted, quite flatly.

Havoc shrugged, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. "My guess is just go to wherever their hide out is and go in and kill them. We don't really have any other choice, unless someone else can come up with one." The flat, weary resignation in his voice was familiar to anyone that had survived the Ishvar war.

"That's smart, walk straight into an unknown territory, against unknown foes, and kick their asses. Let's just hand them the gun while we're at it!" Ed slumped back against the back of the couch.

Roy sighed, shaking his head. "He has a point, it's not exactly a very good plan if we expect to get out of this alive..."

"They already have guns," Havoc said absently.

"Jean, you're not helping..." Roy muttered, eyes downcast once more. Really though, they knew it had to be done, but in all actuality, could it really _be_ done?

"Face it," Havoc said. "We don't have an icicle's chance in hell. Never really did. There is no 'good' plan and no 'bad' plan. The only plan we have is to kill them. If you want to nitpick about it, go ahead. But if you really think long and hard about it, we've been screwed from the beginning; we've been set up perfectly."

Roy continued to focus on the ground. "Then when do we leave..."

"I'll give you five days," Bradley said quickly, heading off the coming explosion – a cranky and irate Havoc plus an indifferent and angsting Mustang equaled Very Bad News. "I recommend that you use the next two days to relax and... h'm... level? with one another, then report back here for outfitting and official orders." He stood. "Dismissed, gentlemen."

Roy nodded, getting to his feet without another word. There really were no words, it was as if the next five days could possibly be the last, and it was a heavy atmosphere that really didn't allow for words. There wasn't anything that was going to change it, all they could do was prepare.

Havoc followed quietly, nudging Ed along. He had quite a good rant stored up for the grumpy Roy; though, maybe the man would volunteer information _without_ the emotional thumbscrews.

------

Flopping down on the couch, Ed yawned. "So now what?" It was obvious he was far more energetic at the moment than the other two were.

Havoc glared at Mustang, his energy slowly seeping back. "Now I ask why the hell Mustang is trying his hardest to ignore us."

Roy lifted his head, glancing between the two somewhat irritated looking blonds. "...What?"

Havoc's eyebrow gave a first-rate twitch. "Roy, you didn't eat anything last night and you barricaded yourself into my bedroom. Since we met you on the way back from the hotel, you've been avoiding us like the plague. What the fuck is _wrong_ with you?"

The dark-haired man turned his head. "It's nothing important, don't worry about it.."

Ed rolled his eyes. "We've both known you too long for that kind of bullshit, Roy. We're not idiots you know.."

"So kindly do us the favor of actually _trusting_ us enough to tell us what's wrong." Havoc's eyes narrowed. "If you can't trust us with this, then you're going to be absolutely worthless in combat."

"It's not a matter of trust, Jean. It's a matter of I don't want to fucking talk about it, okay?" Roy slid into the same chair he'd slept in two nights before, eyes on the ceiling.

Ed had a sneaking suspicion this had to do with those damn homunculi. He didn't know why he felt that way, but for some reason, he did. Maybe it was because he knew the air of humiliation they left a person wallowing in, just maybe.

"That's not a good answer, _Mustang_." Havoc loomed over the seated man. "This is worrying me, Roy. You're pretending that nothing happened when we both damn well know that you're traumatized from something. And I want to know what!"

Roy looked up at Havoc, hand on the side of his neck. When he moved it there, he hadn't noticed, must have been some subconscious action. "I don't want to _talk_ about it.. I want to _forget_ about it.."

Havoc was hurt more by the show of reluctance than he'd care to admit. "I've never hid anything from you before," he said quietly.

Mentally debating whether or not he should join in, Edward watched from the couch, not really knowing what to say or do. There were things he'd never told Havoc, too, but that was probably because he told Roy first...

"I don't know what to say about it... It's something I'd rather not relive, not even verbally... It's not that I'm hiding it from you.." Roy paused for a moment, sighing softly. "It's that I'm hiding it from myself.."

Havoc's jaw clenched and his eyes radiated disapproval. He turned on his heel and abruptly headed for the kitchen.

"What the hell do you expect me to say!" Roy buried his face in his hands, frustrated with the way things were going, but mostly with himself. "Don't just walk away..."

"Was it Envy?" Ed finally spoke up, golden eyes focused on Roy. "It was one of them, wasn't it?"

There was a rattling of tins and a muffled curse. "Fair's fair, Mustang. Tell. Now."

"Envy took Alphonse... By characteristics, I'd say the other was Lust... If you really care to know, Jean, she tried to molest me, are you happy with that?"

"A little bit better. At least you told me." Havoc poked his head through the doorway. "See, that wasn't so hard." He was still ticked, yes, but at least he wasn't ticked at Roy.

Edward's gaze was sympathetic, the humiliation was there alright, though he'd never actually heard of Lust living up to her name, it seemed more as Envy doing her share of the sinning. Now that it was out, he really didn't know what to say about it..

Running his fingers through his hair, Roy stood up, headed for the bedroom again. "Harder than you think..."

Havoc came out of the kitchen, intercepting the morose brunette with a hand on the man's chest. "Roy, we do care. We've all had our run-ins with various homunculi. You shouldn't let this get to you so badly." His blue eyes were worried. "Just... what... no, relax, all right?"

"Relax? That's definitely easier said than done in this situation..." One dark eye met Havoc's. "Any ideas on how I might go about doing such a thing?"

Somehow, Ed had managed to fall asleep while thinking, sprawled out on the couch. He'd been up all night the night before, so it really wasn't all too unreasonable.

Havoc sighed, defeated. "Fine. Go on, then. Sulk. You're not even going to try to listen to me this time around, so it's a wasted effort."

Roy frowned. "Don't give me that look, you and Edward are all I've got..." He reached up, brushing a few strands of hair out of Havoc's face. "Besides, you look like a wet cat that way..."

"I know." He gave a tiny smile. "I know."

Roy rested his head briefly against Havoc's chest, then looked up again. "Will you help me forget again? Like last time?" Dark gaze almost pleading, questioning. "We've got two days, let's just get lost in them..."

Smile turned slightly bitter, Havoc wrapped his arms around Roy. "It would be my honor, sir."

Somehow managing to wriggle free, Roy dragged Havoc through the bedroom door. Slipping out of his shoes, he crawled up on the bed to sit, arms outstretched for Jean to come. "Not that I mind you calling me sir, but I'd feel better if you'd just call me by my name, Jean..."

This time his smile was genuine, warm and loving. He slid next to Roy, letting the smaller man's arms wrap around his neck, and nuzzled the scar he had left on him. "Of course, Roy."

------

Havoc yawned and stretched, quietly letting himself out of the bedroom. Roy was peacefully asleep (finally!), even though the man had clung like a goddamn limpet. He hiked up his pyjama pants up and plopped down into an armchair. Damn. He felt _old_.

Stirring slightly, the lump on the couch (formerly known as Edward Elric), rolled over, mumbling in his sleep. "No... Al... you can't make the kitty dance... mnn..."

Havoc stared at the lump, a slow grin spreading over his face. Then he burst out laughing.

Grimacing, Ed grudgingly opened one eye. "What the hell is wrong with you! I was trying to sleep!"

"With dreams of dancing kitties in your head," Havoc replied, trying to control/muffle his snickers. "Really Ed, if you're going to sleep, don't say stupid things while you're doing it."

The nineteen-year-old just sat up, staring blankly. "Huh?" The words made _some_ sense, but not too much at the moment.

"You were talking in your sleep," Havoc clarifed, finally calming down enough to be coherent. "Something having to do with making a kitty dance."

Ed blinked, then shook his head. "_Anyway_, I'm up now, and it's your fault. What'cha gonna do about it?"

Havoc shrugged. "Just sit here for the moment. I'm not feeling too ambitious right now."

Pulling one of the couch pillows into his lap and hugging it to his chest, Ed frowned. "Why so?"

Havoc gave him a Look, coupled with a faint groan as he shifted and something popped. "You aren't _nearly_ old enough to be told."

Edward simply pouted. "What did I tell you about those old comments?" Not that it really mattered, but he tried.

"You'd better be kidding, or so help me..."

"Oh come on, I'm just trying to lighten the mood, give me a break here!" Ed proceeded to throw the pillow at Jean.

Havoc met the pillow halfway and tackled the smaller blond. "I'm sure you were. You just want to see me in a collar."

Ed chuckled a bit, squirming. "Sure, maybe that would be a nice perk, but honest I was just trying to lighten the mood. Looks like it worked.."

Havoc considered that. "'A nice perk?' I'm offended, gopher-boy. You should apologize."

"Oh come on, get over it." Ed poked Havoc's nose.

Havoc made a face and began to tickle Ed. "Because you say so?"

Ed wriggled beneath the taller man, trying to get away. "HEY! That's not fair! QUIT THAT!"

"Nope." Havoc continued to tickle the boy, enjoying himself greatly.

Fighting back giggles, and failing miserably, Ed continued to squirm. "Comeon!" He curled up trying to squish Havoc's fingers. "Please, heyheydammitstop!"

Havoc still managed to wiggle his fingers around the giggling mess of Ed. "I told you, no. I'm enjoying myself right now."

"Well I'm _not_!" Still trying to wriggle free, Ed only managed to get himself tangled up, flailing.

Havoc caught a thrashing automail arm. "Hey, watch that."

Ed stopped wriggling, simply staring up at Havoc and pouting. "It's your fault for tickling me in the first place."

"You deserved it." Havoc frowned abruply. "Damn, that shirt's big on you."

Blinking, Edward just stared at him. "What's that got to do with anything?"

Havoc grinned impishly. "It just sort of... came up, y'know?"

A mischievious little smile quirked the corners of Ed's lips. "Alright then... So do something about it."

Lazily, Havoc tugged on a section of hem that had ridden up during the tickle attack. "There are several things I can do," he remarked, scooting down to lay an affectionate nip on the bit of bare skin. "I can molest you here and now on the couch, let you molest me, or I can just start tickling you again."

The nip made him twitch, and Ed reached out with his human hand to ruffle Havoc's hair. "Doesn't it only count as molestation if one party or the other doesn't want it?"

Havoc gave a full-body shrug. "I don't know. I never put together a civil case."

"Then by all means, molest away."

Havoc sighed. "Why am I doing all the work?" he said plaintively.

"It's not like I can exactly do much whilst pinned, you know..." Ed looked up at Jean, mocking innocence.

"You could have asked." Havoc released his arm, adjusting his weight so Ed could at least move. "And more than half of this is your fault, considering you decided to tie yourself in knots around me."

"What else was I supposed to do? You were _tickling me_!" Edward poked Havoc's forehead.

"That was your fault, too," Havoc said, cheerfully unrepentant. "And watch your poking, will you?" He dropped his head to briefly touch his tongue to the side of the younger man's neck. "You might make me start tickling you again."

Ed tilted his head a bit. "I would really appreciate if you wouldn't do something like that, though... I'll be good.."

Havoc smiled. "That's definitely a step in the right direction. Anything else you want to tell me before I sit up and let you take over?"

Ed pouted. "What if I don't _want_ to take over?" Wrapping his arms around the older man's waist, he kept Havoc where he was. "What if I like it like this?"

"What if I don't want to do all the work?" Havoc murmured. "Do we always have to be uneven?"

Edward pretended to think about it for a moment, then shifted a bit. "Then how about I get you started?"

Havoc laughed a little at the phrasing. "Be my guest."

"Well that's a bit hard from down here..." Despite being generally pinned still, Ed had already managed to work off his shoes, seeing as he'd fallen asleep in full attire not long after they'd gotten home.

Still grinning a bit, Havoc moved back, allowing Ed to sit up. "You're not creative at all, right now."

Ed pouted again, scooting back a bit and shoving Havoc against the far side of the couch, sitting on his lap. "So sue me, I just woke up. I don't see you making any great effort at making sure I'm _fully_ awake, so no complaining dammit."

"And tickling you halfway senseless didn't wake you up?" Havoc said, lips quirking slightly. One hand tugged Ed foreward into a kiss, while another hand, claws unsheathed, crept up underneath his shirt, playing across his back.

Ed shivered slightly, back arching at Havoc's touch. Absently he mused that this couch was definitely not big enough for these things, but that the table was in the way as well, once more making things difficult. His mind scanned over several possible scenarios before deciding what would work best, all before he even broke the kiss for air. "Stand up.." he said, sliding off of Havoc's lap and into the space between the table and couch.

Still faintly amused, Havoc followed the order. He slid off the too-comfy couch and faced Ed. "All right?"

Once Havoc was up, Ed tugged down the pyjama pants. Satisfied for the moment, he pushed the taller man just enough so that he was forced to sit back down, crawling once more up on his lap. "Now that that's out of the way.."

Havoc blinked. "I'm assuming that had a point?"

"It got your pants off, didn't it? Isn't that a good enough point?"

Havoc yanked the overlarge shirt over Ed's head, then stuck the fabric in his mouth. "Oh, hush."

Ed made an attempt at a 'oh hah fricken hah, that's _so_ funny' face, failed miserably due to the fabric shoved in his mouth, and shook his head, instead opting to mumble something along the lines of 'Oh, I didn't know you were into that sort of thing, Jean.'

"Only when you won't shut up," Havoc said mildly, watching Ed seethe and grumble. "I do only have a finite amount of patience with you." He casually looped his arms around Ed's waist, sketching light patterns with gentle fingertips at the small of his back and absently toying with the almost-overlarge waistband.

Irritated by the taste of cloth, Ed pulled the shirt out of his mouth, tossing it to the side as he leaned in to taste something better.

Havoc purred into the kiss. "Happier?"

Edward just smiled, dipping his head to nip up under Havoc's chin, making his way down.

Havoc growled, sighed, and wiggled a bit when something slightly ticklish was nipped.

Ed paused, fingertips lightly tracing the scars on Havoc's neck and chest. Smiling softly, he resumed his path, slowly sliding off the couch in the process. Something just above Jean's hip caught his eye, and his expression further softened. That scar brought back memories..

Havoc's fingertips briefly touched Ed's face. "You don't have to..."

"Hm?" Ed looked up, blinking. "Oh, no... I was just thinking..." He smiled softly.

Havoc sighed, smiling somewhat bitterly. "That can't be good for your health."

The smaller blond bit Havoc's side in response, just above the scar. Just to make his point clear enough, he growled, too.

Havoc dragged him up for a rather fierce kiss. "I'm the only one allowed to bite," he growled.

"Grr." Ed replied, biting Havoc's lower lip in a defiant gesture.

"Grr yourself, gopher..." Havoc's tongue licked out, running across Ed's jaw.

Ed chuckled, resituating himself in Havoc's lap. "That name always brings back memories... especially in this kind of situation..."

"I hope they're good ones," Havoc purred, continuing his assault on Ed's neck.

"Not to sound sappy or anything, but I don't think there are any bad memories that involve that name..." Ed tilted his head to allow better access, shifting slightly in the chimera's lap.

Havoc paused. "Then at least I'm doing something right."

"You're doing absolutely nothing right by stopping, you know that?" Ed nibbled on Havoc's ear, almost insistently.

"Greedy little gopher..." Havoc dipped his head, lightly scraping his teeth over Ed's neck.

Shivering slightly, Ed grinned. "All I see you doing is giving me what I want anyway, isn't that just fueling more greed then?"

"Who says it's just for you?" Havoc murmured. "I do factor into this, too."

"And yet you call me greedy..." Ed shifted again, wriggling slightly.

The older man hissed into Ed's shoulder. "You have a problem with that?"

The hiss made Ed shudder, and he rested his head against Havoc's shoulder. "Not... really..."

"Good." Havoc nipped his way up Ed's throat.

Groaning softly, Ed noticed with mild annoyance his growing discomfort. A discomfort which he made rather clear with a slow rocking of his hips.

Havoc echoed Ed's groan, then hissed softly, "You want it so bad, stand up and take off your pants."

Hurriedly, the smaller blond did just that, easily getting out of the pants that weren't his size in the first place. Once more straddling Havoc's waist, Ed captured a kiss.

Gentle claws scraped over Ed's bare back. "Now, what do you want?" Havoc purred huskily.

Back arching from Havoc's claws, Ed _nearly_ whimpered. "_Fuck me_.." he breathed against his neck.

The claws moved slowly over Ed's sides, down to his hips, and over his lower belly. "Magic words?" Havoc asked, still purring.

Ed barely managed to choke out a 'please' before groaning again, his body desperately trying to figure out which way to wriggle, since the claws were slightly tickling.

Havoc chuckled low in his throat. "Mind doing the honors, gopher?" he whispered, nipping Ed's ear.

Shivering again, Ed blinked, not quite sure he understood. "Uh...?"

"I can't very well screw you into another state of conciousness if you're where you are now."

Ed blushed slightly, not quite sure where to move from here. He looked around, then back at Havoc. "Where should I move then?"

"You're the genius," Havoc murmured, leaning in for a kiss. "You figure it out."

"But I-" Ed was cut off by the kiss, hardly able to think that straight anyway right now, not to mention _figure something out_.

Havoc nipped Ed's lips. He managed to get Ed manouvered so the young man was kneelling, then ran his tongue up the length of his throat. "You sure about this?"

Shivering lightly, Ed managed to form words. "W-we could..." he swallowed hard, throat dry, "..move s-somewhere else.. i-if you want..." He swallowed again, "I r-really don't care where... just... now... please... I want you, Jean..."

Havoc obeyed gratefully, not even bothering to relocate. If that was what Ed wanted, well... he was more than happy to give it to him.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 

For those who do read this story habitually: IT'S ALMOST OVER OH MY GOD! NEARLY TEN MONTHS AND IT'S ALMOST OVER! Thank you, thank you lord. oo; -Not religious at all-


	37. Don't Make Me Say Goodbye

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Don't Make Me Say Goodbye

* * *

Rating:** PG-13 (Language mostly.)  
**Pairings:** Do I need to keep saying this over and over?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA. Don't sue meeeee!  
**Spoilers:** Hell if I know anymore :D  
**Setting:** Fuhrer's office, Havoc's apartment.  
**Timeline:** Two days after the previous Fuhrer visit.

* * *

"They're late," Bradley grumped tiredly, petulantly crossing his arms. "They shouldn't be, not this late in the game." 

Edward watched as Roy went on ahead, still not quite sure why Havoc had told him to do so. "So... what's this all about anyway?"

Havoc chewed on the inside of his cheek, seriously reconsidering. _Oh, what the hell_... "I just thought I should tell you a couple of things before I crap out on you." He still couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness that had firmly lodged itself in his stomach.

"Okay... I'm listening..." Ed found himself extremely curious as to what was making Jean so... what was the word... well, whatever he was at the moment, he couldn't quite place it.

Havoc chuckled. "Wow. Never thought that this would be so tough... You ever get weird feelings? Visions of your own mortality and things like that?"

Blinking slightly, Edward glanced down for a moment, then off to the side. "We're not going to make it, are we..."

"You might. But I don't think I will..." Havoc heaved a sigh. "Don't look like that, Ed, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that there's no way for me to go except down."

Ed smiled sadly. "What makes you think I'll be able to make it without you, anyway? I wouldn't be able to hold the other me back anymore... As far as I know, you're the only one who can subdue that other side of me... Every time so far except for when Fawkes was there, you've been the one I saw first coming back..." He looked down again, feeling utterly sappy for saying all that. "I'd just be a lost cause without you there to help.."

"I never got that... why me? Why not Roy? I mean, I was the afterthought. You liked Roy long before I came to pick you up in Dublith..." Havoc resisted the urge to fidgit. It was a question that he had been meaning to ask for weeks, but... he never got the chance to.

Scratching the back of his head, Ed wondered that himself. "I... don't know..."

Havoc shrugged. "Oh, well."

"We should probably, uh... get going... um.."

Havoc grinned at Ed's sudden stutter. "All right, kid." He sighed, mock-dramatically. "Bradley's probably kicking up a fuss or terrorizing Roy. Come on." He opened the door. "Well?"

Fists clenched, Roy did his best to keep a straight face. "I know, they should be here any--" he paused, hearing the door open and shut. Looking over his shoulder, he gave his best 'what the hell _took_ you so long!' look.

"Sorry we're late," Havoc said, not sounding apologetic at all.

Bradly relaxed slowly into his chair. "Good. I thought that Mustang would try something... drastic if you didn't show up quickly." Needling the poor black-haired man had always been his favorite pastime, and this was no different. The gloves clenched spasmodically.

Ed shrugged, fidgeting with his ponytail. "So what now? What's the plan?"

Roy was a bit surprised at how little animosity Edward showed towards Bradley, seeing as he was sure that the boy knew of his other identity as one of the seven sins that had chased him around for so long. Then again, perhaps it was better if he'd forgotten about that incident...

"We get you armed and ready." Bradley tapped his desk. "You'll have to abandon the military uniform. Snipers' uniforms would do well in this instance, considering that there is no obvious military affiliation. Decent weaponry – don't make that face, Mustang, I know quite well that you can shoot a gun and hit a target." He moved his head to look at Edward. "Is there anything you want or need?"

Blinking, Edward pondered that. "...I can't say I'm very good with guns, hand to hand combat and alchemy are my only skills... I can pretty much make use of anything I come across, so I don't guess I need anything specific..."

Smiling wryly, Havoc remarked, "If we had more time, I'd teach you how to shoot. As it is, you probably can't even hold a gun."

Refraining from comment, Ed flopped down on the couch in an overly 'I'm exaggerating my irritation' type of way.

Roy sighed. The aspect of guns was _definitely_ not something he cared to even think of. "Is it really necessary to outfit anyone besides Jean with that type of weaponry? Edward and I are alchemists, it's best just to let us use alchemy."

With a pointed look at Mustang's hands, Bradley commented, "It would be foolish to go in without backup weaponry. An intelligent antagonist, as Fawks seems to be, would strike first to render your gloves useless. It has happened before... I'd rather not lose a good officer because he was too elitist to use a common soldier's weapons."

"I don't rely that heavily on scraps of fabric, _sir_. I'm more resourceful than that.." Roy replied, tone clipped and mildly irritated.

Ed didn't like where this was going, it made him want to go back to bed and not wake up for another seven hours.

Bradley's eyebrow quirked in challenge. "Oh? The last time I saw you do any combat alchemy other than what you can perform with your gloves was back in Ishvar. Even then, it almost got you killed."

Havoc groaned inaudibly and dropped his head into his hands. This was going to keep going for a while, he knew.

"Do you think I've just been sitting behind a desk doing paperwork and letting my skills deteriorate these past years?" One eye narrowed slightly.

Golden eyes glanced around, looking for an out. Ed pondered just grabbing Havoc by the arm and dragging him off into a corner somewhere.

"Do you think your enemy would allow you the luxury of being able to draw an array?" Bradley shot back. "You're being stubborn, and that can and will get you killed."

"I never said a thing about drawing an array, you're putting words in my mouth, Bradley."

Bradley's eyebrow quirked.

"Can we get on with it? Or are you two going to have an all out Cocky Sons of Bitches tournament?" Ed tapped his foot against the table, arms crossed.

Havoc couldn't help himself. He disintegrated into helpless giggles at the affronted and miffed expressions on both Bradley's and Roy's faces.

Upon not getting any real response, Ed asked again. "Well?"

Still slightly irritated, Bradley waved a dismissive hand. "You're free to go at any time, but damn it Mustang, at least take a handgun. And that's an order."

"When is the assault to take place then?" Regaining his composure, Roy ran his fingers through his hair.

"You'll leave tomorrow." Bradley held out a sealed briefing packet. As Mustang took it, he continued, "The details are in there. Good luck. I have a feeling that you'll need it."

"Thanks for the overflowing confidence." Ed muttered, getting up off the couch and walking back over to Havoc.

Roy shook his head at the comment. "I don't suppose you're sending in any of your kind to back us up, are you?"

"If I can find Kimbley and his motley crew, I'll send him... in.. for... backup?" Bradley frowned at the semi-frozen Ed and Havoc. "Or not?"

Roy turned to face the others, noting their expressions as well. "Maybe that's not such a good idea..." Just the thought of the Crimson Alchemist irritated him, not to mention the assumption that he had been the one... three years ago...

Bradley shrugged. "Suit yourself." He was going to do what needed to be done, and damn the feelings of a cat and a non-human. "Dismissed."

Despite being the furthest from the door, Roy was the first one out of the room. One second more with that man and he was sure he would have snapped. Quite literally.

Edward glanced at Havoc, stepping out as well. _That_ alchemist was one he would be perfectly fine not hearing of for the rest of his life.

Havoc shook his head, trying to get rid of that stupid, explosive-happy alchemist's image, name, whatever. "Water on the brain," he said cheerfully at Ed's inquiring mumble. "Come on, I need to get my sorry ass down to the quartermaster's."

"I guess I'll go too, it'll give me something to do." Ed grinned a bit, forcing down the painful memory that alchemist's name roused. He blinked as he looked around, though, finding Roy nowhere in sight. "I wonder where he got off to all of a sudden? We were only a few seconds behind him..."

"I'll bet you dollars to donuts that he's either already going down there or going off to have a quality sulk." He grinned at the kid. "Come on, then. It's across the parade ground."

Nodding Ed followed alongside Havoc. "I don't think he's stupid enough to go off without us, he's probably sulking."

"Not to mention that he has our briefing in his hand," the taller blond commented. "Silly ass."

"Yeah..." As much as Ed tried to think of something else to say, nothing came to him. And he was sure as hell steering clear of mentioning the upcoming mission with any sincerity.

Havoc lapsed into silence, obeying Ed's unspoken order to Shut the Hell UP about their raid on the other chimerae. They walked briskly across the parade ground of the base, slipping into the cool, stark interior of the armory building.

Looking around, Ed nearly tripped over Havoc. "Ack!"

"Oh, brilliantly done," Havoc grunted, getting Ed's forehead pranged between his shoulderblades. "Stupid gopher. Come on." They entered one room marked 'Quartermaster', where Havoc proceeded to argue for a half-hour, then the man scuttled off like a beetle. "Sit down. This'll take a while."

Ed sat obediently, toying with the end of his ponytail and looking for split ends. Finding none, he proceeded to stare at his shoes.

Havoc's face quirked briefly into a frown. "Is something wrong?"

"Just bored, is all." Ed lied, hoping it would pass.

"M'mm... I bet."

"What? I'm bored, we've been sitting here for how long now?" Ed whined, but only slightly.

Havoc cuffed him affectionately across the back of his head. "That's not all that's bothering you, though."

"It's all I care to delve into in the slightest, though. Boredom is so trivial compared to everything else, it makes it seem like we're still living semi-normal lives."

"Ed, you couldn't be normal if you _tried_." The hand slid down to gently and chastely caress the back of Ed's neck. "Things like that are bad for you, though," he said, abruptly grim.

Ed shivered slightly, leaning against Havoc. "Oh well..."

Havoc heaved a dejected sigh.

"We're being all gloomy..." Ed pointed out the obvious, as if it would change the fact.

Despite himself, Havoc rolled his eyes. "I see they call you genius for a reason..."

Ed huffed. "Oh shut up."

"Yes, sir."

Ed proceeded to knock Havoc out of his chair and onto the floor. "Don't even start with that!"

"Owww..." Havoc rubbed gingerly the point of impact. "If that bruises, I swear that I'm going to drag you naked through a roomfull of carpet tacks then dip you into a vat of astringints."

"That's so sweet of you." Ed said with mock adoration. "You deserved it, dammit."

"What did I do to deserve that?" Havoc got to his feet.

"I can think of a number of things, but I'd rather not go into them." Ed looked at the clock on the wall. "How long did you say this was going to take again?"

"I didn't." Havoc plopped back down into his seat. "Y'know, sucker-punching someone is not particularly endearing."

"That wasn't a sucker-punch. It was a shove."

"Whatever it was, it hurt."

"Sorry..." Ed sighed again, slouching in his chair.

"Would you just tell me what's wrong? You're driving me nuts!" Despite his rough words, Havoc reached out, stroking the back of Ed's flesh hand with his fingertips.

"I'm worried about you... about myself... about Roy..." Ed finally admitted. "With what little we have, can we really defeat those chimeras?" he paused for a moment, thinking it over. "No... I think that really... We don't belong here, Jean... We should have stayed dead, but we're here, and we're probably going to die in this... Do you think that's why we're still here? So we could put things right?"

Havoc bit his lip thoughtfully. "I don't know," he finally admitted. "I wish I did."

"Where do you think we'll go after this? We've both died once... do you think the other side of the gate will reject us for it?"

Havoc glanced over at Ed. "Does it really matter?"

"I don't guess so..." Ed leaned against Havoc's shoulder again before hopping out of his seat and pacing. "Dammit, how much longer is this going to take!"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist. I requested something specific, and I don't think that they've pulled it out of storage since the war."

Ed just quirked a brow at the word 'knickers', opting not to make a comment. "...So how long do you think this could take?"

Havoc shrugged, grinning ruefully. "I have no idea. They probably buried it pretty deep, considering it was an older model."

"Just what _did_ you ask for anyway!" Not that Ed would know what it was, but still, it was something to fill in the silence.

"A rifle. The new models that they gave us for the little bodyguarding fiasco were complete shit – the ones from the war were actually built for the desert." Havoc stretched a bit, leaning back over the chair to pop his spine. "They still have a few of them lying around, but not nearly enough to make the oldsters happy."

Havoc got a somewhat blank gaze in return. "Oh... okay..." Cue the subliminal voice that says 'I have no idea what you're talking about' here.

Havoc sighed. He was about to launch into a lecture when the door reopened and the quartermaster came in with two handguns, a black sniper's uniform, and a rather impressive-looking rifle. "Ammunition is ready across the hall," the man said stiffly, packing up the goodies.

Havoc took the packages with an absentminded "Thanks" and motioned for Ed to follow him.

Following once again, Ed thought of something. "So... what am I going to wear?"

Havoc laughed. "What you usually do, squirt."

"Bright red?" Ed didn't see how this would help him blend in at all, and it couldn't possibly be good for this type of combat.

"Black," Havoc corrected. He dropped by the ammunition room, picking up several cases and dumping them on Ed, ignoring his squeals of protest. He couldn't resist making the old soldier's quip, "That way we're dressed for our own funerals."

Ed frowned deeply. "That's so... I don't even know..." Shaking his head, he carted the ammunition off after Havoc.

Havoc directed the dumping off of the ammunition and other such things in a car designated for it, but took the new uniform home to hide (forlornly and momentarily) in the kitchen. On the table.

He plopped down into the armchair with a groaning sigh and covered his eyes with his arm.

Ed flopped on the couch again, looking at Havoc. "I wonder why Roy's not home yet..."

Havoc let his arm fall down, looking up and the ceiling and really feeling like he wanted to cry. "He'll be back in his own sweet time..."

Ed frowned, getting up and relocating himself onto Havoc's lap. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing... just stress, and the awful feeling that, _yes_, I'm right this time around and I will die... and there's going to be no one there to save me or you if I die..."

Curling up a bit, Ed looked up at Havoc's face from his position. "If you die, I'm coming with you, wherever you go."

Havoc's arms slipped around Ed, pulling him closer for comfort. "I'm glad to hear you say that, Ed."

"It's the truth.. I don't think I could leave you even if I wanted to." It was meant to comfort, though the wording wasn't quite the best to use. It was how Ed really felt, though.

"Let's just hope that you don't want to, then..."

"Of course I don't..." Ed lifted his head, hearing the door. "Hey! Where _were _you, anyway!"

Roy walked past the chair, headed for the bathroom. "Out, but I'm back now, as you can see. Yes, I'm fine, no, I didn't die or do anything reckless, thanks for being concerned about my well being," he ended sarcastically. Water could be heard from the bathroom, though it was just the sink, followed by a bit of muffled cursing.

"I'd say he's cranky," Havoc commented, not even lifting a single finger to get Ed off his lap; he was comfortable the way he was, thank you very much. "Wonder what got him like that."

"Dunno..." Ed found himself slightly sleepy, and fought back a yawn.

"I'm _not_ cranky, for your information.." Roy stepped out of the bathroom, rubbing his hands gently. Apparently, the backs of his hands were a bit red and looked as though something had irritated the skin there.

Havoc frowned yet again. "Roy, what the hell have you been doing?"

Ed was dozing by now, oblivious to what was going on at the moment.

Looking down, Roy got an odd expression on his face, quickly hiding his hands. "Preparing.."

With a low growl of frustration, Havoc snapped, "Be glad that I have a kid on my lap, otherwise, you'd have to show me." Depression and fatigue were catching up brutally, making him more irate than he really should have been.

"Shouldn't you stop referring to him as a kid, Jean?" Roy stepped around behind the chair, pausing as he considered something. "Promise you won't yell at me for doing something stupid?" Sure, he didn't think it was stupid, but Jean might.

Havoc tried to twist around, but with Ed's weight on him, it was nearly impossible. "He _is_ a kid, Roy. And no, I won't yell at you." He paused to consider. "Much."

Roy sighed, dropping his arms around Havoc's neck. If it weren't for the redness, and of course the fact that his skin wasn't _that_ pale, it would almost seem at first glance as though he was still wearing his gloves. Bradley had made a point, Fawkes most likely would try and rid him of his array right of the bat. So he'd done something about it.

"What... the _hell_!"

"It's a backup measure, Jean, you don't have to freak out on me..." Roy spun back around, leaning against the chair with a slightly miffed expression that Havoc couldn't see.

"... I'm in love with two people who are insane. Damn it, why can't there be a wall nearby so I can hit my head against it?" Havoc let out a groan. "I didn't freak out on you, either."

Roy frowned. "How is having a backup in case your enemy decides to strip you of your main weapon considered insane? And what did Ed do to be deemed as such?" It was only after he'd asked the second question that he realized how stupid he was for asking it.

"That second question was really a dumb one," Havoc drawled. He reached behind him, tugging on Roy's shirt. "Are they permanant?"

Roy turned around again, leaning over the back of the chair. "What do you think?" He avoided commenting back to the first statement.

"I don't. I'm not the alchemist, remember?"

Sighing, Roy shook his head. "Tattoos have nothing to do with alchemy."

"This is my cue to feel stupid, but oddly enough I don't. How the hell did you get tattoos that quickly?"

"I've been gone for nearly two hours, Jean... Lines don't take that long to tattoo..."

"My next question: Isn't Hawkeye going to be pissed when she finds out?"

Roy pondered that for a moment. "Why would she have a reason to be pissed off at me for it? It's not like she's my wife or anything." He shuddered momentarily at that thought. Probably moreso because of the prospect of having a wife, though still a lot due to the fact that it was Hawkeye, and she could be just plain scary.

"Man, you're dumb."

"What? It's for my safety, why would she be pissed about it? It's not like I went out and got some girl's name tattooed on my ass or something!"

Havoc grinned up at Roy. "I'll tell you when..." his throat closed off, but he forced himself to keep going casually, "we get out of this mess in one piece. Deal?"

Shrugging lightly, Roy leaned down to steal a light kiss. "Deal.."

Havoc managed to get a quick lick in before Roy straightened. "Have you read the briefing packet yet?"

"Not yet... If you would wake up Ed we could do that now, if you'd like.." Roy briefly touched his tongue to his lips, thoughtful. _I'm still holding you to your word, Jean..._ He sighed, draping his arms around Havoc's neck again. _Don't die on me, Lieutenant. That's an order._ Shaking his head, Roy forced that memory from his mind.

Havoc grinned up at Roy. "Let the kid sleep. He's more stressed out than I've ever seen him. We have till tomorrow, anyway."

"He needs to know these things too... How about after dinner?" Roy brushed a few strands of Ed's hair out of his face, smiling softly. He thought back on the very first time he'd seen the boy like that, over three years ago in his office after he'd brought Alphonse back.

"Oh, damn," Havoc groaned. "What the hell am I going to feed you guys?"

"Maybe we should go out to eat somewhere nice..." Live or die, Roy wanted to at least have a nice meal before he stuck his head into a hornet nest.

Havoc pouted. "What, is my cooking not good enough for you?"

Roy chuckled lightly. "That's not it, I never said that! I just thought maybe we should, or we could order something nice too, I guess... Besides, you can't get up and cook with him on your lap like that."

"I can't exactly go out to eat with him on my lap, either," Havoc commented, shifting slightly to get Ed more comfortable.

Ed mumbled a bit in his sleep, nuzzling his face further into Havoc's stomach.

Shrugging, Roy went to sit on the couch. "Well, like I said, we could order something then. But if we went out to eat, we could wake him up to go with us, of course. He's going to eat with us.."

Havoc absently stroked Ed's hair. "I guess we could order something. I'd rather not wake him up until he wants to."

"Well he has to wake up to eat, either way... It's not for a few hours, though..." Roy ran his fingers through his hair, smiling a bit at the picture his two blonds made.

Havoc grinned sidelong. "I still say you don't want to eat my cooking anymore."

"If you want to cook, go right ahead, I'm not stopping you," Roy motioned at the boy in Havoc's lap, "but he is."

Havoc stuck his tongue out petulantly.

"What?" Roy just grinned. "You could always just move him off of your lap..." _You'd be waking her from a sound sleep, you do the math._ Roy nearly burst out laughing at the thought, hiding his mirth behind an amused smirk.

"You try waking him up – I don't particularly want automail violently shoved into my gut."

"I don't think he would wake up if you moved him over to the couch.."

Still, Havoc made no move. "Eh. What do you want for supper?"

"I dunno... whatever is fine by me, really... Just something at least halfway decent, we've got a rough day tomorrow.." Roy continued to observe the two in the chair.

"That," Havoc remarked. "Is the Understatement of the Year. Congratulations."

"Oh shut up.." Roy stretched, moving to lie down, staring at the ceiling. "What do you have in there that you could cook, anyway?"

"Quite frankly, not much." Havoc squirmed a bit. "Help me get him off, will you?"

Sitting back up again, Roy scooped Ed up into his arms and allowing Havoc to get up before he put the boy back down again. He watched as Ed grumbled and got comfortable again, absently groping for Jean before giving up and settling back into slumber. "So what exactly is 'not much'?"

"That's what I'm going to look for," Havoc said, teetering on tingly legs. "I'm assuming there's some fish and/or red meat in there."

"Fish sounds good, you need any help?" The dark-haired man looked down at Ed one more time, before turning to face Havoc again.

Havoc didn't miss the look. "Only if you want to. I don't mind if you want to stay with Ed, though I don't think he'll be very companionable."

"Hm? Come on, I'll help." Roy headed for the kitchen without another look back.

Havoc followed. "I'm not sure what kind it is. Probably tuna. How do you want yours cooked?"

"I don't mind how, I'll eat it all the same, do it how you like.." Sure, he'd said he would help... but Roy really didn't know the first thing about real cooking.

"I doubt you're going to like it how I usually eat it." Havoc rummaged around, coming out with a medium-sized package wrapped in butcher's paper. He tossed it onto the counter and started foraging again. "Open up the cabinet next to the oven... no, other side... yeah. Put the cast iron pan onto the stove."

Despite hating orders, Roy was fairly good at following instructions.

Havoc came up with a stick of butter and a triumphant grin. "There. Now you don't have to eat your fish raw."

Roy nearly gagged. "You eat it _raw_ now?"

Havoc blinked innocently at the rather greenish-looking man. "Yeah. I do. Don't ask me why, I just like it better that way."

"...Right." Roy understood, but it didn't make the thought any less disturbing.

"All right, then." Havoc got out a knife and began to cut the fish evenly. "Pass me the salt and peppercorns?"

With a nod, Roy looked around, spotting the afforementioned seasonings and handing them over. "Do you have anything else to go with it?"

"H'm. I think I may have some lettuce." Havoc turned on the burner, cutting off a generous bit of butter and tossing it in. He rubbed salt and crushed peppercorns onto two pieces of tuna. "Actually, I'm pretty sure I do. I got it for you two, considering I don't like the stuff."

"No side dishes? Not that I'm complaining or anything.."

Havoc mock-glared at him. I'm good, but I'm not your own personal chef, all right?" He flicked a peppercorn. "Consider yourself lucky that I'm cooking your food." Despite his words, his eyes were laughing.

"Yeah, yeah.." Roy smirked at the blond, shaking his head. "Thanks for taking the time."

Havoc flicked another peppercorn at Roy. Behind him, the pan began to smoke.

"Is that a bad thing?" Roy eyed the pan, not quite sure whether it was supposed to do that.

"H'm? Oh, yeah. It means that the butter's cooked through." Havoc flicked the two pieces of meat into the pan, briefly glancing at his watch. "Butter tastes nice cold, but it's even better when it's browned."

"I see..." Roy stood beside Havoc, watching the pan with mild curiosity.

Havoc checked his watch again, then flipped the meat over. "See, now you can impress any girl that you can find with your knowlege of cooking."

Roy frowned, leaning just slightly against Havoc. "I don't _need_ to impress girls, Jean.."

"M'mm..." After checking his watch a third time, Havoc flipped the fish onto the cuttingboard. "Grab a couple of plates, will you?"

Roy snapped out of it and nodded again, fishing out a few plates and setting them out. He was about to go and get Ed up, when he heard the boy in the other room.

Rubbing his eyes a bit, Ed plodded into the kitchen, waking up more with each step. "S'mthin' smells good..."

Havoc chuckled, setting the respective pieces on everyone's plates and getting out knifes and forks. "What do you all want to drink?"

"What do you have?" Roy helped guide the somewhat still sleepy Ed to his seat.

"Water... cold coffee... that's about it..." Havoc shrugged. "I'm cleaning out the kitchen right now..."

"I think water will be fine then, right, Ed?" Roy sighed, noting the full mouth the boy already had. "Don't you think you should wait for everybody else?"

Ed swallowed what he had in his mouth, rubbing the back of his head a bit. "Er... sorry? Yeah, water's fine.."

"All right..." Havoc filled three glasses and set them down, following soon after. "All right Ed, _now_ you can start eating."

Blushing slightly, Ed stuck out his tongue. "Shut up," he answered, though he did get back to eating.

Shaking his head again, Roy chuckled. "Slow _down_, Ed, you're going to choke yourself.." He managed to duck the half-hearted punch, and started on his food as well, still grinning a bit.

After eating, Havoc shooed them all out into the living room. Plopping himself down into his armchair, he said, "Well? What's in the packet, Roy?"

With a sigh, Roy opened the packet, tossing the map included onto the coffee table and briefly scanning the first page. "Hm.." He set the papers down, unfolding the map and looking over it. Pulling out a pen, he marked their current location, before looking back to the paper again. "We'll be up early, it says here we are to be in position at 05:00."

Taking the pen in hand again, he began marking a path. "We're to take the back alleys east of here until we reach Warehouse 6. Travel time is estimated at one hour, so we'll be leaving here by 04:00." A large red circle was now around the square labelled 'W6'. "I really don't see the point in acting before dawn, seeing as we have the disadvantage in the dark. There are seven of them, and three of us. We'll need to stay in a loose formation, but still watch each other's backs, seeing as we don't know too much about the enemy aside from their numbers."

Running his fingers through his hair, Roy scribbled a few more things on the map. "We'll be going in through the south wall, whether or not there's a door there, it doesn't say." He shook his head. "From what we know, Fawkes is their leader, also known as Deceit, specializing in firearms. He's also our main target, and an alchemist, so be careful. Other than that, we are knowledgable on only one other; Falsehood. We know that she is extremely dangerous, particularly involving her highly toxic venom. Other than that, we're flying blind." He set the pen down on the table. "The estimated chance of success is so low I don't even want to read it... I think Bradley is underestimating us at least a little here..."

Havoc leaned over. "Sunrise comes at roughly six-fifteen this time of year. So we can either stake out for an hour and fifteen minutes, or we can scout the position. Scouting has an increased chance of being caught, but at least we won't be totally blind." He glanced up. "We'll be in position right around the false dawn period, so we may be able to do something; either way's fine with me. But... staying in formation might be a bit of a problem."

Ed wasn't really one for battle _strategies_, and he wasn't at all used to these sorts of missions, either. So he watched and listened in silence, trying to soak it all in.

Roy shrugged. "I'm just reading what it says in my own words. Either way, I think we'll be caught the second we get close, I have a feeling that they'll know we are there, wouldn't _you_ be able to tell if we were there, Jean? I don't think any amount of silence is going to work, snakes I know can feel vibrations in the earth.."

"And knowing Fawkes, he's going to have her on duty that night, I'll bet you anything." Havoc sat back, arms crossed. "Though... she'll be inside, and we'll be on the outside... there may be a slight muffling of vibrations due to the flooring. She'd be suicidal to go outside." A quick grin quirked at the corner of his mouth.

"Would she do something that stupid?" Roy caught the grin, wary of its meaning. "We don't know what their other abilities are... it would be foolish of us to make such assumptions..."

"But we do have to plan for different situations; she may not even be on duty. Though... didn't Bradley at one point reference to an old professor of yours?"

"He'll be hard to miss with his bulk..." Roy tried to imagine him hiding, failing miserably.

"He'll also be harder to kill. If he's that big, then I suggest that... you..." he frowned, trying to remember something.

"Suggest that I what?" Roy noticed the look on Havoc's face. "What is it?"

Ed blinked. He... _really_ wasn't good with these types of things.

Havoc shook his head. "Can't remember." The only big thing he could remember was something massive, destructive, and rather manic about it. "I was going to say that you take care of him. Your fire would be perfect."

"Alright..." Despite the fact that this was a life or death operation, Roy still felt a bit bad at the thought of having to crisp his former professor.

"Oh. One thing." Havoc half-lidded his eyes and gave a LOOK to the other two. "Fawkes. Is. Mine."

Ed scooted back to the far end of the couch, not liking that look at all. "But what if he engages one of us first? Are we just supposed to run like cowards with our tails between our legs? Do you even think he'd _let_ us run?"

Shaking his head, Roy looked at the ceiling. "I don't think we'll have to worry about him coming after us... You understand what I mean, don't you, Jean...?"

"Yes." The look softened to an almost normal one. Then he grinned slightly, which matched he previous glare in being not quite right. "He's _mine_. Don't get within a ten-foot radius of him."

"I really wouldn't want to anyway..." Ed really didn't know that much about the man but still, he sounded like someone he'd rather not meet in the confines of a deserted warehouse.

"Just don't do anything stupid, Jean..." Roy stood, stretching. "We should probably get some sleep..."

"You two go on ahead. I'm not feeling tired."

"And who said I was tired?" Ed piped up, rocking back and forth slightly. He ignored the look Roy gave him.

Shaking his head, Roy made to drag Edward off anyway, whispering something in the boy's ear as they entered the bedroom that earned a screech of protest, followed by a squeak for reasons unknown.

Havoc let hs head fall back and his eyes close. "Goddammit."

A few minutes later, Ed came stumbling out of the bedroom, hurling one of his boots through the door in the process. "YOU COULD SERIOUSLY USE A LESSON IN SUBTLETY, ROY!"

The corner of Havoc's mouth quirked up.

Refastening his pants, Ed turned his head, looking at Havoc. "Like I said... I'm not tired..."

"M'm?" Havoc cracked open an eye. "Seems like Roy isn't either."

"He can deal." Ed made his way over to Havoc's chair, settling himself in the man's lap. "I think he was more worried than awake... In that kind of way that you think it'll be the last time you get the chance to do something..."

"Him, too?" Havoc opened both his eyes. "He's going to be so pissed at me when this is over with."

Edward sighed. "It's not like he'll be able to do anything about it..." It was hard coming to terms with the likelihood that they were going to die, but damn if they weren't going to take as many people with them as they could. "I... I'm scared, Jean..."

Havoc finally lifted his head, wrapping his arms around the boy. "Don't be. Nothing can happen that already hasn't."

"Dying once doesn't make it any more pleasant the second time around..." Ed nuzzled his face against Havoc's chest. "And it's worse because we'll all be together... It's easier to take when you _know_ it happens, but you don't have to _see_ it happen..."

Havoc sighed, resting his cheek on the top of Ed's head. "But if what you say is true, it won't matter. You'll be following soon enough."

"I know... But I still don't want to lose you again..."

"Is death really forever?" Havoc asked rhetorically. "What makes you think that you will lose me?"

Ed gave up on talking, opting just to sit there. He was warm and comfortable, and he felt safe in Jean's lap, as if nothing was going to keep them apart. Even if it was the last time they got to be this way in this world, Edward was glad for this moment.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 

A/N: Next chapter is it, guys. It's been ten months running since I started this thing, stick with me for the finish, alright?


	38. Finality

Each individual chapter will have a different rating, different pairings, different spoilers, and a different setting and timeline. Multiple people were involved in writing this fic, I do not claim to have written anything other than my own characters. I do however claim to have come up with the plot, story idea, and organizing it all. The others who write characters in this fic are well aware that I am posting it, and contribute willingly. This fic is an ongoing project with an unknown number of parts, with alternate storyline as of the fifth laboratory incident. Enjoy!

* * *

**Finality

* * *

Rating:** PG-13 (Language mostly.)  
**Pairings:** Do I need to keep saying this over and over?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own FMA. Don't sue meeeee!  
**Spoilers:** Hell if I know anymore :D  
**Setting:** Warehouse 6.  
**Timeline:** The day of the mission.

* * *

"Bad news, guys," Havoc hissed, crawling back from his quick recon. "The snake isn't out there. It's something else; a cat or something by the smell. Female, probably feral." 

Roy neglected asking just how Jean could tell it was a female. He reasoned it was probably because it was a cat, they must let off some kind of distinct smell. "What then? Do you think you could take her out relatively easily?"

"Hell, yeah." Havoc was gone again in the blink of an eye.

Ed took the chance to say what had been on his mind. "Roy..." he paused long enough for the man to turn his head back towards him, "If by any chance... Jean dies... I'm not going to be myself for much longer... You have to burn the whole place down, okay? Don't wait for me... If he's gone, I won't be coming back to myself..." He avoided Roy's gaze entirely, staring off into the half-darkness for any sign of Havoc.

Mischief's ears twitched slightly, head whipping around to spot the blond nearing her position. "So you're the one Master was harping on for the longest time... I'm jealous..." A purely feral grin spread across her lips, sharp canines glinting as claws were extracted from their sheaths and ears lay back on her head.

Havoc's own grin mirrored hers, his claws unsheathing. Not even bothering to answer, he attacked, slitting her throat with the bayonet in his boot. "Good riddance, cat."

------

"They're here, boss..."

Deceit looked up from his claws. "I know...how many of them?"

Sabotage sniffed the air, left ear twitching. "Three... no wait... six..."

"So they decided to bring more... this _is_ going to be fun..."

------

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that..." Roy spoke up finally. _I'm still going to hold you to your word, Jean... Don't fucking die on me..._

Just as Havoc was about to return, he heard the fluttering of overlarge batwings and frantic meeping. A soft, manic chuckle and an explosion later, Havoc was up and running towards Roy and Ed, caution be damned.

Roy and Ed met Havoc halfway, heading for the explosion site. "What the hell is going on!"

"Insane laughter and an explosion, with a dog and snake in tow to boot. What does it sound like?" Havoc said grimly. He stopped short of the debris cloud, coughing at the acrid smell.

As the smoke cleared, their suspicions were confirmed. Kimbley stood next to a large hole in the warehouse wall, Martel and Dorochet just behind him. "Oh? Well look who we have here..." His grin faded into a frown at the sight of Edward. "Hm... I thought I killed you..."

Golden eyes narrowed, but Ed knew there was no time for quarrels. Apparently, that bastard Bradley had sent those three anyway... "You fucking IDIOT you blew our cover completely!"

"Ed, it's a moot point," Havoc snapped. "Since they're here now, it's no use arguing. Let's move it."

Ed nodded, sticking close to Havoc and Roy. "Doesn't mean I like this one bit..."

"You don't have to," Havoc said, his temper still short. "It's not like it'll matter."

Ed gritted his teeth to avoid commenting further. "Let's get going then.."

Roy spared a brief glance at the Crimson Alchemist, turning then to look at Ed and Havoc. Things were starting to get ugly already.

Dorochet cracked his knuckles. "Right, we've been standing out here too long. Let's get moving, people."

Kimbley shrugged. "Whatever, this wasn't _my_ idea in the first place.."

Havoc motioned to the other male chimera. "Hey. Dog boy. You up to being on point with me?"

Dorochet's lips peeled back in annoyance. "My name's Dorochet, cat. And I'll keep up with you no matter what." Apparently, species wars extended even to chimerae.

Martel shook her head. "This is no time for cat and dog quarrels you two.."

"We're not fighting," both men chorused.

"Jean..." Roy sighed. "Come on, they no doubt know we're here, do you want to get picked off like sitting ducks in the middle of an argument?"

"All right, all right." The two males slid through the hole. Havoc's voice came back. "You guys get into loose formation. We're taking point. Dorochet'll act as the runner between us, all right?"

The other four gave an affirmative reply, doing as directed.

"Why are you here?" Havoc asked quietly as they snuck quickly through the warehouse.

"Bradley told Kimbley to go, so we went with him. It's a revenge thing."

Without so much as a sideways glance, Roy spoke up. "I take it Bradley sent you, Kimbley? Why the two tag-alongs?"

Kimbley scoffed at that. "Shut up and move, Mustang, it's not like I want to be here helping you people.." He got a cuff upside the head from Martel for that, as the snake woman hissed at him, "This is for Greed and Law, remember!"

A sharp yelp from down the corridor alerted the quartet that something had gone wrong. A few seconds later, Dorochet came scrambling back, panicking. "It's the guy that got Law!"

Ed looked to the dog chimera. "Which one got who now?"

Martel sped up, though Kimbley just kept his pace. Lazy sonofabitch.

"Never mind that, your pet cat's getting the shit kicked outta him..." Dorochet's tongue lolled as he tried to catch his breath.

Roy's brow furrowed, and both he and Ed also picked up the pace. "Dammit..."

Kimbley sighed. "I thought we were over all of this shit by now..."

"Boss..." The word came out as a low, warning growl.

Havoc wasn't feeling too good right now. He was currently lying in a sorry-ass heap against the wall, trying to figure out which way was up. Damn.

Roy managed to get there just behind Ed, eye widening at the sight.

Ed ran hurriedly to Havoc's side. "Jean, you okay!"

Havoc rubbed the back of his head, trying to get his eyes to focus properly. "Where's Roy?" he asked, speech slightly slurred, though rapidly clearing.

"Right over there... uh..." Ed tried to help him get up.

Roy stared. This certainly did resemble his old professor, but this creature was definitely no longer that man. "You... why..."

"Roy, get back!"

Slaughter swung his weapon, nearly taking off Mustang's head. Eyes stained red from bloodlust, the huge chimera slowly stalked the poleaxed alchemist.

"You don't even remember a damn thing, do you..." Roy moved back a bit sluggishly, trying to stay out of range of that weapon. "Jean, take Ed and the others, go on ahead.. This one's my job, remember?"

Kimbley, having finally showed up, scoffed at the notion. "Are you fucking suicidal, Mustang? One man against _that_?"

Havoc finaly managed to stand up. "You think he's bad, wait till you meet his boss. Come on, you loser, we're leaving."

Ed shot a glare at Kimbley, supporting Havoc as long as he needed it.

Kimbley shook his head. "Fine, and for your information, I have met his boss. Didn't find him that fucking badass anyway.. It's your funeral, Mustang, I got nothin' to do with it."

Havoc straightened up, grinning. "Oh, it's not his funeral..." He shook his head one more time and spared a glance at Ed. "Come on." He turned on his heel and loped off, sticking close to the walls just in case.

Ed followed closely, but not too closely, eyes keeping a lookout for any signs of movement other than their own.

Irritated with the fact that he was here, but still worried(though he was damned if he'd show it), Kimbley tagged along as well, followed by Martel and Dorochet still.

Slaughter enjoyed killing for the simple reason that it was ordered chaos, like a dance. To his once-educated mind (it had fallen close to insanity since his transformation), killing and death was simplicity itself.

And with a talented opponent, it was pure bliss.

Roy slid behind a row of old crates to catch his breath. Bradley had said he was called Slaughter, hadn't he? _Dammit Mustang, just snap and get it over with already!_

Silent, Slaughter padded over to the boxes. "Stop running," he said quietly. "It won't do anyone any good."

Cringing at the sound of Slaughter's voice, Roy pulled on his right hand glove. "If you insist.."

With a speed unnatural to his size, Slaughter lunged.

Roy managed to roll out of the way just before the stack of crates was completely demolished. "Don't waste any time, do you!" He snapped, the explosion of the flame shaking the ground he stood on.

The concussion from the burst hit the forward group, causing all of them to nearly lose their footing. "That was quick," Havoc commented, before moving on even more quickly than before.

Roy had to cover his mouth with his hand at the smell and the sight, having to get pretty close to the steaming carcass just to get back to the path the others had taken. Once he was past it, though, he wasted nearly no time in getting away from the scene. How many years had it been since he'd killed with his alchemy? Too many, he'd hoped it would never have had to come to this again...

Havoc kept running, his face grim but otherwise completely blank. Another roadblock was coming up.

A sleek shadow darted across their path, beady eyes glinting for a split second before a yelp sounded from the end of the line.

Martel spun around just in time to see Dorochet fall, holding his neck where two slash marks were present.

Havoc turned his head at a yelp, seeing Dorochet limp on the ground. He decided impulsively to let the snake-girl take care of whatever and kept moving. He had other things to do.

Ed just kept moving, following Havoc's lead. Knowing Kimbley, he'd take care of it, and besides, they still hadn't seen Fawkes.

Havoc smiled grimly over at the young man. "You ready for this?"

"Would it make any difference if I said no?" Ed clapped and transmuted a blade on his automail. "It's not like I have a whole lot of choice.."

Havoc shrugged, still moving. "You could always back out of it."

"No, Jean. I can't. We're in too deep to back out now." In the next second Ed found himself back against the wall, automail holding back the blade of a sword with a rather angry looking dog chimera on the other end of it.

Sabotage growled lowly. "You don't have time for idle chatting here, _boy..._"

Havoc skidded to a halt, backtracking quickly. He grabbed the mutt by the scruff of his neck and hauled him across the corridor. "Ed, I hope you have a trick up your sleeve!"

Ed noticed the grin on the canine's face and the twisting of his wrist. Without so much as thinking he was across the corridor, automail blade buried in Sabotage's chest. Golden eyes flickered violet for a split second before he pulled the blade out, blood dripping from the tip.

Havoc knocked the scruffy chimera over, grabbing his trench knife. "Ed, when you try to kill these things, kill them. Don't just wound them. They'll just keep coming back." He stepped on the hand holding the sword and leaned over. "Does Fawkes know we're here?"

Sabotage yelped, teeth bared and hackles raised. "How could he not, you're not exactly being subtle you know!" he snapped, spitting blood in Havoc's direction. Animosity shone in his eyes as he glared, despite the pain and difficulty to breathe.

Havoc shrugged. "Fair enough. All right, question number two. Where exactly is he?"

"Find him yourself if you want to know!" Sabotage shot back, yellow-brown eyes not once looking away.

"Loyal little critter aren't you. I wonder what the shit did to deserve it..."

"You should leave while you've still got the chance, if you find him, you'll never get out of here alive.."

"You think I don't know that? But I'm not going to die before he does." Havoc frowned down at the half-dead chimera. He stepped back. "Ed, finish him."

Ed looked between the two chimeras, from the fallen, to the standing, in half-shock silence.

Patiently, Havoc repeated the order.

"Looks like your little alchemist is too much of a chicken shit to do it..." Sabotage grinned weakly, coughing up a bit of blood. "You're never going to make it with a kid like that as luggage... you should've just left him behind... heh..."

Ed clenched his fists tightly.

Havoc's jaw tightened as he leaned over to cut Sabotage's throat. He wiped the blade on the thing's chest and began walking. He passed Ed without a word.

"I really am useless here, aren't I..."

"With that attitude, yeah, you are."

"I couldn't do it... I couldn't even move..."

"Then just stay out of the way." Havoc didn't mean to sound so cold, but they were going to be fighting for their lives. If the kid had developed qualms about killing, then he really was going to be useless.

"Sorry..." It was all Ed could think to say. He hated himself right now, hated the child inside of him who wanted to go curl up in the corner crying and hide. Hated the tears that even still threatened to come, stinging his eyes. Mostly hated how pathetic he felt, that he couldn't even do what he knew had to be done.

Havoc heard the utter misery and softened. He turned. "I've never asked you to kill before. I shouldn't have asked you then."

"I've seen it so many times now... Why is it so much harder to do with my own hands?" Ed looked at Havoc, still trying to fight back the tears. "Why? Even though I know it has to be done?"

"You've never had to before."

"But still..." Ed absently tried to wipe the blood off of his automail onto his shirt. "I should have... It had to be done, right?"

"Yeah." Briefly, Havoc felt sick. "Don't... don't worry about it."

"Sorry.." Ed's wiping had become a bit more frantic. The thought hadn't even struck him to use alchemy to remove the blood.

Havoc grabbed his wrist, below the blade. "Ed. Leave it."

"But..."

"Ed. Stop." He gently tugged the arm away. "You're no use to me if you fall apart. Pull yourself together."

"Sorry..." Ed just held his right shoulder. "I'm sorry..."

"I told you, don't worry about it."

Ed sighed. "How many more of them are left... it won't be long now, will it..."

"No. It won't."

Ed leaned against Havoc. "You asked if I was ready for this... Well I'm not... I don't think I ever will be, even if you gave me another ten years I don't think I'd ever be ready for this..."

Havoc slipped an arm around Ed's shoulders, giving him a brief hug. "You can always leave."

"I told you before, I can't do that... Besides, if I did that now, I'd have lost you without even being there..." The ponytailed blond smiled grimly. "I'm not going to let you die alone..."

"I don't think you have any idea how comforting that is."

"At least I'm good for that, right?" Ed leaned a bit more heavily. "How much longer can we stay just like this..."

"A little longer would be nice," Havoc admitted, tightening his arm.

"My what a touching scene, now's the part where you start devouring each other's mouths like there's no taste better in the world and eventually you end up naked and fucking like dogs on the floor, right?" The tone of amusement was all too obvious in that eerily calm voice.

Havoc refused to let himself get riled up. "I'm not a dog, therefore I can't fuck like one."

"I was wondering how long you were going to take here, you made me come all the way out here just to see what was taking so long..." Deceit ran his tongue over his teeth. "But do go on, entertain me a while, the night was extremely lacking..."

Havoc gently pushed Ed behind him. "Are you seriously that bored?"

"Yes, quite so. And now that you've done away with my favorite playmates, I've got even less to do. I can't decide whether to be horribly upset about it or to shiver at the wonderful creature you've become because of me..."

Havoc took a step back. "You're... royally fucked up, you know that?"

Deceit just smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment... So will you entertain me for a while? Can I test you myself?" He motioned slightly with his right hand. "Falsehood, be a dear and take that boy off my hands, I don't want him getting in the way..."

Ed shivered at the thought of that woman as he turned to stand back to back with Havoc, eyes darting every which way to see where she was coming from.

His over-protective nature rearing up, Havoc said, "Don't touch him. Ed, go back and find Mustang." His eyes narrowed focusing on Deceit. "Leave the kid alone. He can't and won't do anything."

That earned a laugh. "I thought you knew me better than that, Jean Havoc... I don't care if he can do anything, he's still in the way to me... Once she's done with him, I'll have her finish that raven-haired lover of yours too, and then you'll be mine to break... It was sweet of you to think of him, though..."

"Who says that I'll let us live long enough for that to happen?"

"It's talk like that which can seriously make me addicted to you..."

"Jean... I'm not going to leave you, remember?" Ed still stood, nearly frozen, at Havoc's back.

Falsehood slid out of the shadows while the men were arguing, stealthily creeping towards the brat.

Havoc's jaw clenched so hard that the muscles stood out in stark relief. Ed's words just made things that much worse. "Take me on, here and now. Forget about your stupid fantasies. I refuse to be your plaything."

Deceit dropped down from the boxes he had been standing on, landing almost less than a foot from Havoc. "Let me savor this moment just a bit longer before we begin, hm?" His hair wasn't covering his left eye at the time, and so it was emerald and white that looked Havoc from top to bottom. "You really have become quite a fine specimen... I'll enjoy this quite a bit..."

"What is there to savor?" Havoc spat. "One or both of us is going to be dead by the time this is finished."

Taking a step closer, the red-haired chimera simply grinned again. "Let me take just one more minute to see if you're really worth my time..." He motioned again for Falsehood to move.

Falsehood lunged for the boy, reaching out with her hands. But a punch and shove later, Ed was flat against the wall with an angry lion chimera there protecting him.

"Commendable, really..." Deceit stepped up to Havoc again, though out of arm's reach this time. "So much for that one minute then..."

"I can fight, Jean..." Ed felt a bit sore from being shoved back against the wall.

Instinctively, Havoc's claws came out. "Get the fuck away from Ed," he hissed.

"I have no interest in him, Jean... My only interest is in you..."

"Then get that goddamned snake out of here."

"I want him out of the way... I have no interest in him but if he's going to be in my way I will not hesitate to have him dealt with... In other words, that would be a no." The grin faded from Deceit's face as he stepped back a bit. "If he interferes, I will not hesitate to kill him, easy as it would be to do so..."

"If he doesn't?"

"I'm not going to guarantee anything..."

Havoc was in one hell of a delimma. He didn't want to leave Ed by himself, but every single instinct he had ordered that he kill the smirking monster a few feet away.

"Come at me then. Isn't that what you came here for?" Deceit turned his back on Havoc, walking off towards a more open area. "Falsehood, come with me."

Havoc moved away from the wall. "Coming or staying, Ed?" He began to follow Deceit.

Ed moved as well, staying close to Havoc. "What the hell do you think..."

"Just do me a favor and stay away from that snake, all right?"

"I'll take care of her if she comes at me... other than that, I'll gladly stay away from her..."

"Are you sure you can?" Havoc arrived at the edge of the wider corridor; it was almost like a room, though bare.

"Don't worry about me... I can take care of myself..." Ed knew it was going to end up sounding like he was just trying to make Jean feel better.

Havoc sighed, blue eyes watching the other chimerae cautiously. "I hope you're not just trying to make me feel better."

"No, I mean it!" Ed pouted, realized it made him look childish, then just settled for looking a bit miffed.

In the meantime, Deceit had lit up a cigarette, waiting rather patiently for the two to come to their decision. If they weren't done by the time he was, he would simply start whether they were ready or not.

"Ed... just... do me a favor and stay within running distance of the exit." He scraped together a wry smile. "It's my turn to get mauled." He moved out closer to Deceit, leaving Ed behind.

"As soon as I have him occupied, go ahead and take the boy..." Deceit murmured to Falsehood after blowing the last bit of smoke out of his lungs and discarding the cigarette.

Falsehood eyed the other two. "Are you sure that's a good idea? The big one might actually be able to get to me."

"He... may be planning that."

"I'll take care of him, dear, just take out the boy..." Deceit's patience was running thin.

"Yessir." She knew when it was dangerous to argue.

Ed watched both of the abominations and Havoc, keeping an eye especially on Falsehood. _It won't be long now then... I wonder where Roy is...?_

Havoc's hand strayed to his trench knife. "When are we going to start?"

"Whenever you please, come at me..." Deceit purred, tail waving back and forth slowly.

"No," Havoc said flatly. "You come here."

"My, my, we're never going to get anywhere if you keep that up... I wasn't here to kill you, you're here to kill me, remember?"

"I'm. Not. Moving."

Deceit shrugged, as he drew one of his guns from its holster. "I don't want to have to end this so quickly, but if you're just going to stand there all day I have no reason to keep you alive..."

In the interests of self preservation (though he knew it was a stupid move for Ed's health) Havoc went flying towards the sneering beast.

"That's a good boy..."

Havoc's hand shot out, grabbing the gun and tossing it away. "I am NOT your goddamn TOY," he hissed, sweeping Deceit's legs out from underneath him.

Deceit chuckled, landing easily and turning quickly to drive his heel into Havoc's stomach. "If it's fun for me, how is that not being a toy..."

Havoc managed to twist so the kick glanced somewhat less painfully off his hip. "You don't own me."

Rebounding from the kick, Deceit slid back. "As much as I'd love to, I already know that, Jean.."

"Why me?" Havoc stood there, proud. "Why me of all people?"

"Because your looks, your attitude is alluring to me... Everything about you makes me want to taste the blood in your mouth, revel in your screams, bask in the heat in your eyes when you look like you're ready to rip my throat out..." Deceit's grin was back, though it seemed more twisted than before. Perhaps the tinge of psychotic in his voice added to the effect.

Hate welled up, sharp and bitter and entirely welcome. Havoc pounced again, hooking his claws into solid flesh.

Deceit hissed sharply, licking his lips. "How long has it been since I've felt this kind of pain... The hatred you bear towards me makes me feel so much more alive.." His own claws tore Havoc's side as he used his foot to push the other chimera away despite the tear on his own flesh.

Havoc bit into Deceit's shoulder, hanging on for dear life. He refused to satisfy the perverted freak digging his claws into his side. He refused to cry out.

Grinning again, Deceit tilted his head, finding himself at the perfect angle to run his tongue along Havoc's neck. And if the other chimera didn't let go after that, well, he could always enjoy this until he did let go.

Revolted, Havoc scrambled back, breathing heavily. Loathing shone clear in his eyes.

Deceit simply purred, licking his lips again. In the next second he'd closed the distance between them again, claws against Havoc's cheek. "Don't suppose you'd let me have a taste, would you..." Despite his words, the redhead managed to lick a bit of the blood away from the corner of Havoc's mouth, lips just barely brushing his in the split second he had before Havoc returned to his senses and he had to retreat back to a safer distance.

Falsehood took the moment of the lion chimera being completely and totally poleaxed and the short blond fuming at the complete audacity of Deceit to slide around. She did something wrong, though, alerting Havoc and making him whirl to shout a warning.

In that moment, Deceit drew another weapon, firing a single shot through Havoc's right lung, barely missing the blond's spine. "Do _not_ turn your back to me in this fight, Jean..."

The warning turned to a wet, choked cry. Havoc managed to turn back around, Laying four deep cuts across the vein in Deceit's neck. Having spent the last of his energy, he collapsed.

Ed's eyes widened, and he moved quickly to Havoc's side. He heard the crackle of an alchemical flare and felt the heat of the explosion at his back, turning his head to see Roy standing back where he'd just come from, Falsehood's body lying within three feet of him. He immediately looked back to Havoc. "Jean..."

The dying man managed a grin. "It was a... fun ride kid..."

Hearing Roy step closer, Ed shook his head. "Stay back, Roy!" Once he was sure the man had done as requested, he pulled Havoc's upper body into his lap, cradling him there. "It's over now... We don't have to worry anymore..." By now, the tears were flowing, and he made no attempt to stop them.

Havoc smiled peacefully. His eyes closed, his face ashen. "We... won... finally."

Violet flickered briefly in his eyes, and Ed tried to ignore the sharp pain in his chest. "I know..."

The smile faded slightly. "Don't forget..." Without fuss, Jean Havoc peacefully died.

Clutching the man tightly to his chest, Ed whispered, "I know..." Without so much as turning his head, he called to Roy. "Do it now, Roy! I told you, you're going to, right!?"

The tear in Edward's voice nearly made Roy sick, but he nodded. "Take care of each other... I'll be alright here..." It seemed he hadn't even needed the tattoos after all, gloves still on, he snapped once, then turned and wandered back the way he'd come. Surprising himself, he didn't even cry until he got back to Jean's apartment, feeling the emptiness of it all.

* * *

Please review, constructive criticism and questions appreciated, flames will be deflected back at you by Roy. n.n; 


	39. Epilogue

* * *

**Epilogue

* * *

**

A massive, heartfelt funeral was held for Brigadier General Jean Havoc and Brigadier General Edward Elric. Both men were buried side-by-side with full honors, and Fuhrer Bradley himself reading their epitaphs. They were awarded the Golden Cross of Honor, the highest decoration in Armestris, for the duty they performed for their country.

A few months after the fiasco with the Abominations, Fuhrer Bradley was deposed in a somewhat bloody coup. The new government never released who was involved, though it was widely speculated that followers of General Roy Mustang had a hand in it.

Zolof J. Kimbley was stripped of any and all involvement with the military, though he was granted a full pardon (however grudging) by General Mustang. Kimbley disappeared not long after with the chimera Martel.

Major Alphonse Elric was never publicly seen again after his departure with Envy, though word reached Lisa Delgardie that his condition had deteriorated beyond repair. The messenger called his condition 'hopeless' and that there was no chance of survival. A small funeral was held in his memory, though his body was never found.

Lisa Delgardie returned to her home in the border town of Geriko, continuing her medical practice. She eventually died, leaving her tavern and laboratory to her adopted son, Jean. The boy eventually became a noted theoretical alchemist.

Izumi Curtis returned to Dublith. She hardly ever performed alchemy after word of Alphonse's death reached her.

General Roy Mustang continued his career, though he never saw active combat again. Liza Hawkeye pitched a very loud and dramatic fit over the tattoos on his hands, though after pacification she admitted that they were needed at the time. Mustang and Hawkeye grew close after the funerals of his subordinates, and eventually married. They had three children. The eldest and the youngest (a daughter and a son, respectively) became alchemists and colleagues of Jean Delgardie. The middle child ( a son) became a well-known and widely acclaimed artist.

Roy never discovered if Edward and Jean passed through the Gate to the other side, though he liked to think that they did. He insisted on believing that they were still alive and together somewhere, though in the end only Liza would believe him.

Roy Mustang died, peacefully, sixty-three years after the war with the Abominations, at the age of ninety-five. He was buried between his wife and Edward Elric. He was survived by his three children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grand-children.

* * *

A/N: OMG it's finally finished! Stay tuned though, this might be the end, but we've got even more fun to throw at you!

* * *

_Setting: Miskatonic University, Massachusetts; September 2000_

_Edward Elric and Jean Havoc are both eighteen years old, studying at the prestigious Miskatonic University. Their life in the dorms is plagued by homework, spontaneous fights, a slightly deranged roommate, rugby practices, and unhealthy eating habits. The two young men seem bound and determined to be antagonists for one another._

_However, the night after their initial meeting, nightmares begin to plague the chronically depressed Edward. He slowly realizes that things are not what they seem, and after weeks of the horrifying dreams, he comes to terms with the fact that his life is not everything that he wanted it to be._

_Written by moray and xkesshoux. If you liked Unsettling Affairs, its sequel, Rebound, will be coming shortly to moray at http(colondoublebackslash)www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net(backslash)moray_


End file.
